The US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to grace the 28th Montreal Protocol in the Rwandan capital Kigali, a statement from White House said.
Kerry will join more than 1,000 other world leaders in the summit aimed at instituting better legislations to ensure the protection of the ozone layer, particularly aiming to ensure the reduction of the use of hydro-fluorocarbons (HFCs).
“Secretary of State John Kerry and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy will travel to Kigali, Rwanda, to promote U.S. climate and environmental goals at the upcoming Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol,” the statement read.
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer.
The upcoming meeting will include discussions on a Montreal Protocol amendment to address emissions of hydro-fluorocarbons, potent greenhouse gases that are replacing ozone-depleting substances and are rapidly becoming a major contributor to global climate change.
If passed, the amendment will help the world avoid a 0.5°C global warming by the end of the century.
Experts also say that the passing of the amendment would help the world reduce the number of skin cancer cases by two million annually.
Kerry will be accompanied to Rwanda by representatives from the White House, Department of State, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Agriculture.
