At the 27th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in Dubai, nations from around the world committed to address harmful hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)under the agreement and work toward an amendment in 2016.
The countries Thursday agreed on a way forward to address the rapidly growing use and production of HFCs, a particularly potent greenhouse gas that plays a major role in driving global climate change.
The Montreal Protocol is among the most successful multilateral environmental treaties in history. Amending it to include HFCs could set a course for actions that would avoid 0.5C of warming by the end of the century.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said the progress in Dubai also indicates that the world is ready for a new chapter in the fight against climate change. "In agreeing to address HFCs together, we have laid the groundwork for even greater co-operation toward a successful outcome in Paris - and the entire planet will be better off for it," he added.
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