The Ozone Layer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2024 (Amendment Bill) was published in the Gazette today (December 6) to implement relevant requirements of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol).

     A spokesman for the Environment and Ecology Bureau indicated that the Kigali Amendment was adopted by parties of the Montreal Protocol in 2016 and entered into force in 2019 with a view to progressively phasing down the production and consumption of 18 hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), thereby mitigating global climate change. The Kigali Amendment requires its parties to implement a licensing system for the import and export of these 18 HFCs and meet the relevant phasedown targets.

     The spokesman said, "Our country accepted the Kigali Amendment in June 2021. The Kigali Amendment was effected in our country in September of the same year. Hong Kong is duty bound to promptly complete the legislative procedures to fulfil our international obligations."

     By amending the Ozone Layer Protection Ordinance (Cap. 403), the Amendment Bill proposes to implement a three-pronged control strategy. Amongst which, the Government targets to prohibit the manufacture of the 18 HFCs controlled by the Kigali Amendment and implement a licensing system on their imports and exports, starting from the fourth quarter of 2025. To progressively meet the phasedown targets of the Kigali Amendment and assist the market to smoothly transit to suitable alternatives in a safe and environmentally friendly manner, the Government also proposes to, by separate subsidiary legislations, progressively implement strategies on relevant product regulations and recovery mandates, as well as related safety requirements, with a target from mid-2026 onwards.

     The Amendment Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council for first and second readings on December 18.

Ends/Friday, December 6, 2024
Issued at HKT 12:00

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