05
February 2018
Past Event
Environmental Policy in the 21st Century: The Future of the Kigali Amendment

Environmental Policy in the 21st Century: The Future of the Kigali Amendment

Past Event
Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters
February 05, 2018
05
February 2018
Past Event

1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 400
Washington, DC 20004

Speakers:
Steve Forbes

Editor-in-Chief, Forbes Magazine

christopher_demuth
Christopher DeMuth

Former Distinguished Fellow

Dave Banks

Special Assistant to the President for Energy and the Environment, National Economic Council

Marc D'Iorio

Director General, Industrial Sectors, Chemicals, and Waste at Environment and Climate Change Canada

Dr. James Hammitt

Professor, Economics and Decision Sciences, and Director, Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, Harvard University

Jeff Holmstead

Partner, Bracewell LLP, former Director, Office of Air and Radiation, EPA (2001-2005), former Associate Counsel, President George H.W. Bush (1989-1993).

thomas_duesterberg
Thomas J. Duesterberg

Senior Fellow

David Doniger

Senior Strategic Director, Climate and Clean Energy Program, National Resources Defense Council

Patrick Michaels

Director, Center for the Study of Science, Cato Institute

Paul Camuti

Chief Technology Officer, Ingersoll Rand Corporation

Stephen Yurek

President and CEO, Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)

There is broad agreement that the 1986 Montreal Protocol, which addressed ozone-depleting chemicals, was one of the most successful efforts to confront a global environmental problem in the modern era. It attained bipartisan support in Congress before the treaty was signed by President Reagan.

In 2016, an amendment to the Montreal Protocol was agreed to at a conference in Kigali, Rwanda, by 170 countries, including the United States. This new Kigali Amendment is intended to phase out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) over the next three decades. HFCs have minimal impact on ozone depletion but many studies have since shown that they have a high impact on greenhouse gas concentrations.

Debate over adoption includes questions about the approval process, its effectiveness in reducing both ozone depletion and greenhouse gas concentrations, the costs of implementation, and whether additional changes to the Clean Air Act are needed for implementing the treaty amendment in the United States.

On Monday, February 5th, Hudson Institute hosted a half-day symposium to discuss the future of the Kigali Amendment. Forbes magazine Editor-in-Chief Steve Forbes delivered keynote remarks, and two separate panels will discuss the Kigali Amendment and its impact on the U.S. regulatory process.

To view Mr. Michaels' slides, click here.

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