Senate ratifies climate action in bipartisan vote

On 9/21/22 the United States Senate ratified the Kigali Amendment to the 1987 Montreal Protocol on ozone pollution.  This will decrease production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) by 85% over the next 14 years. These are powerful greenhouse gasses used primarily as refrigerants. 

One estimate is that doing this will lower the rise of global temperature by 0.5 degrees C. It may not sound like much, but that is huge. We are trying to keep the further increase in temperature below another 0.5 to 1 more degree. For perspective, at the rate we are going it will be about 5 degrees C by 2100 (give or take a bit), an unlivable world for human civilization. So,this action alone can get us a tenth of the way there!

The treaty was approved by 69-27, a bipartisan victory.  This puts us in line with 130 countries that have already ratified the agreement reached in 2016. The EPA had proposed a rule following a 2020 law that congress passed that has a 15-year phase out.

One problem some republicans had is that the treaty gives China developing nation status so a bit of a break, an unfair advantage. They may well have a point, but compared to the good this will do, ratifying the agreement was critical.

Like many efforts to fight climate change, there are opportunities. The Associated Press article on the ratification states: “Chris Jahn, president and CEO of the American Chemical Council, an industry group, called the amendment a “tremendous market opportunity for our members to take advantage of game-changing technologies…”

Action: consider writing your Senator to show your support, or if the voted against it, your displeasure.