People wearing masks for protection against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) walk past the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2022. The so-called Kigali amendment calls for the phase-down of HFCs, gases used in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) that are significantly more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming. Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development that has worked on phasing out HFCs, said the amendment can provide an example for other more contentious global climate negotiations. The world's leading producers of substitutes for HFCs are in Louisiana, New Jersey, Texas, and elsewhere in the United States. The world's fastest growing markets for refrigerators and air conditioners are overseas.

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