Rwanda Hosts 1,000 Global Delegates for MOP38 Climate Summit

Rwanda will host about 1,000 international delegates at the Kigali Convention Centre from 2 to 6 November 2026 for the 38th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP38) to cut global warming gases.

The Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) revealed the upcoming event while presenting the Kigali Implementation Plan (KIP), a strategy designed to reduce domestic hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) consumption by 80 per cent by 2045.

HFCs serve as cooling liquids inside air conditioners, domestic refrigerators, and commercial cold-storage units. These synthetic gases do not damage the ozone layer, but they trap heat inside the atmosphere and accelerate global temperature increases.

The November conference marks exactly ten years since countries adopted the Kigali Amendment in October 2016 to phase down HFC usage across the world.

Environment Minister Bernadette Arakwiye stated that MOP38 allows participating nations to evaluate current anti-emissions progress, increase equipment energy efficiency, and encourage more governments to ratify the climate pact.

"Rwanda is proud to welcome the world back to Kigali, ten years after countries came together here to adopt the Kigali Amendment," Arakwiye stated.

She noted that replacing cooling gases protects food supplies, improves hospital infrastructure, and supports general economic expansion.

Ozone Secretariat Executive Secretary Megumi Seki stated that returning to Kigali gives member nations a direct opportunity to strengthen operational plans for the next decade.

"The Montreal Protocol has demonstrated what sustained international cooperation can achieve," Seki stated.

Rwanda sets four-stage gas reduction targets

Under the Kigali Implementation Plan, Rwanda set an initial target to reduce HFC consumption by 10 per cent by 2029.

The country plans to reach a 30 per cent reduction by 2035, a 50 per cent cut by 2040, and an 80 per cent reduction by 2045.

These new metrics follow earlier environmental programmes that completely phased out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in 2010.

Rwanda also set reduction goals for hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), targeting a 10 per cent cut in 2015, 35 per cent in 2020, and 67.5 per cent by 2025, ahead of a final 2030 deadline.

The global Kigali Amendment entered into force in 2019, targeting an 85 per cent worldwide HFC reduction by 2049 to prevent 80 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions by 2050.

Full implementation of the agreement could prevent up to 0.5°C of global warming by 2100.

Exhibition to showcase sustainable cooling technology

Rwanda will run an Innovation Exhibition and a partnership forum alongside the formal MOP38 climate negotiations.

The exhibition will bring equipment manufacturers, corporate leaders, financiers, and international development partners together to demonstrate eco-friendly refrigeration and cold-chain equipment.

To enforce these targets at home, Rwanda implemented an HFC quota system, a digital tracking portal, and import-export controls to block illegal chemical trading.

The government funds training for technical workers to handle gas recovery, maintain cooling systems safely, and adopt low-impact refrigerants.

Energy efficiency policies now govern local sales through the Rwanda Cooling Initiative, Minimum Energy Performance Standards, and compulsory energy labels on appliances.

Rwanda also partnered with the United Kingdom government to create the African Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES) in Kigali.

ACES serves as a regional research and training facility to test cold-chain technology for agriculture, commercial fisheries, food storage, and medical delivery networks.