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On June 1, 2022, Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions arising from hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) consumption.
Singapore is committed to phase down the consumption of HFCs by 80% over the next two decades to meet the obligations of the Kigali Amendment. Below is the HFCs consumption phase-down schedule.
Table 1: HFCs consumption phase-down schedule under Kigali Amendment
Year | HFCs consumption |
2024 | Freeze at baseline |
2029 | 90% of baseline |
2035 | 70% of baseline |
2040 | 50% of baseline |
2045 | 20% of baseline |
*Note: The baseline is defined as the average HFCs consumption over 2020-2022 + 65% hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) baseline.
In addition, the NEA has introduced measures in recent years to reduce GHG emissions from the use of HFC refrigerants, as highlighted below:
Since 1 January 2019, HFCs import and export have been subjected to licensing controls (ChemLinked News).
In March 2020, the NEA has introduced a voluntary label on air-conditioner and refrigerator models that use climate-friendly refrigerants.
From 1 October 2022 onwards, the NEA will regulate works involving the use or handling of GHG refrigerant in refrigerator and air conditioning (RAC), and relevant companies shall submit records of regulated GHG works according to the Environmental Protection and Management (Amendment) Act 2021.
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is a global agreement to protect the Earth’s ozone layer by phasing out ozone-depleting substances. HFCs were developed to replace ozone-depleting chemicals, but HFCs are potent greenhouse gases. Therefore, the Kigali Amendment requests countries to phase down the consumption of HFCs.
According to Singapore’s climate ambition to achieve net zero emission by 2050, the Government will continue to work in reducing HFCs consumption and shifting towards climate-friendly alternatives.
