Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The White House has sent an international agreement requiring countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from refrigerators and air conditioners to Congress on Tuesday.

A global treaty that reduces hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) is the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. It was approved in 2016, but has yet to be ratified by the United States. HFCs contribute significantly to global warming and are more potent than carbon dioxide.

It comes just after President Joe Biden traveled to Glasgow (Scotland) for the U.N.’s climate conference. Biden pledged to cut the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions 50%-52% in 2030, compared to 2005 levels.

Senior government officials stated to Reuters, that global implementation of the Amendment could reduce the temperature rise by as much as a quarter degree Celsius (0.9 F), before the end the century.

Biden sent a message to Senate urging ratification. He stated it would ensure that the United States remains a world leader in HFC alternatives and allow American businesses to access foreign cooling and refrigeration markets.

“Ratification” will ensure that the United States has a voice in U.S. economic, and environmental matters as the Kigali Amendment implementation moves forward over the next years, he stated.

A rule by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that would cut the consumption of HFCs by 85 per cent over 15 years was finalized in September. This rule implements legislation passed last year with bipartisan support and will make the United States fully compliant with Kigali’s amendment.

According to administration officials, bipartisan support has been shown for this issue in the recent past. Shortly after Biden signed Monday’s $1 trillion infrastructure bill into Law, the Senate requested that it be ratified. This was with support by some Republicans and Democrats.

The 100-member Senate splits between the parties. However, Democrats still have the majority thanks to Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote. Two-thirds of the Senate must approve the ratification or rejection of any international treaty.

Industry associations commended the president for sending an amendment to the Senate, and called on the Senate to quickly ratify it.

“Ratification of the Amendment – which we hope will be expeditious – will create the certainty necessary for U.S. companies to solidify their natural technological advantage in both refrigerants and manufacture of the equipment that uses them,” Stephen Yurek, president of the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute, a trade association, said in a statement.