Twenty-six member states of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) will benefit from US$22.4 million in new funding, secured from the Multilateral Fund for the implementation of the Montreal Protocol (MLF).

At its 94th Executive Committee meeting held in Montreal, the MLF approved a number of project proposals submitted by UNIDO on behalf of its Member States. These include seven new Kigali Implementation Plans (KIPs), projects related to preparing national inventories of ozone-depleting substances (ODS banks), and energy efficiency projects among others.

The Kigali Implementation Plans were approved for Armenia, The Gambia, Honduras, Montenegro, Saint Lucia, Sierra Leone and Tunisia. These plans provide a roadmap to the countries in line with the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which seeks to reduce the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in a phased manner. HFCs are potent greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

Implementing these seven KIPs is projected to reduce 539,000 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions. This is roughly equal to emissions from 128,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven in a year, according to the emissions calculator developed by the United States Environment Protection Agency. It defines passenger vehicles as 2-axle, 4-tyre vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, pickup trucks, and sport/utility vehicles. So far, UNIDO has assisted 21 countries in preparing and getting their KIPs approved by the MLF.

During this meeting, the MLF announced the opening of a funding window of US$100 million for new project proposals that promote energy efficiency while phasing down HFCs, particularly in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry.

“UNIDO is at the forefront of accelerating innovation for climate action. As an implementing agency of the Montreal Protocol treaty, our priority is to promote sustainable industrial development,” said Alois Mhlanga, Chief of UNIDO’s Climate Technologies Innovation unit, who was a part of the delegation present at the meeting.