KIGALI, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- The 38th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP38) opened on Monday in Kigali, Rwanda's capital.
Running from Monday to Friday, the meeting drew delegates from governments, international organizations, industry and other partners to advance global efforts to protect the ozone layer and strengthen cooperation on climate change.
Speaking at the opening, Rwandan Minister of Environment Bernadette Arakwiye said the meeting would serve as a celebration of the Kigali Amendment adopted 10 years ago, committing countries to gradually phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), powerful greenhouse gases widely used in refrigeration and air conditioning.
"It marks ten years of dedicated work, of careful preparation, and of implementation getting under way. It confirms the vision we set in 2016, and it asks us to keep building swiftly towards the future," she said.
"It also reminds us what the Montreal Protocol can do. It is a global agreement that keeps its promises, and one that adapts to new needs, new demands and new technology without losing its purpose," she added.
The minister called on countries to endorse the Kigali+10 Declaration, which requires countries to make sustainable cooling a core pillar and ensure that all parties have the finance, technology, skills, and institutions needed to implement the Kigali Amendment.
Arakwiye also urged countries to join the Friends of the Kigali Amendment, an international coalition that supports the implementation and promotion of the Kigali Amendment.
The Friends of the Kigali Amendment was launched in New York in September to accelerate the implementation of the amendment and expand access to sustainable cooling.
Megumi Seki, executive secretary of the Ozone Secretariat at the United Nations Environment Programme, emphasized the spirit of cooperation in achieving the global goals.
"This week we have another opportunity to demonstrate that the same spirit remains as strong as ever. Over the coming days, may I ask you to be ambitious in your objectives, practical in your deliberations and united in your commitments to success," she said.
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is widely recognized as one of the world's most successful environmental agreements. It has enabled the global phase-out of the vast majority of ozone-depleting substances and put the ozone layer on a path to recovery.
