Workshop on Life-cycle Refrigerant Management (LRM)
36th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP 36)
RMC was privileged to be invited by Environment Climate Change Canada (ECCC) on behalf of the Ozone Secretariat to participate in a Workshop on Life-cycle Refrigerant Management (LRM) that took place on October 27, 2024. The LRM Workshop was a side event prior to the combined COP13 of the Vienna Convention and MOP36 of the Montreal Protocol, in Bangkok, Thailand at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC).
The workshop was a one-day event broken into 4 Sessions:
Session 1: Introduction to LRM
Session 2: Deep Dive into LRM
Session 3: Policies for LRM
The purpose of the LRM Workshop was to share information, experiences and lessons learned, and assessing challenges related to implementing life-cycle refrigerant management.
Kathleen O'Malley, HRAI Manager of Environmental Services, represented both RMC and Canada as a panelist in Session 4 where financing options and business models of life-cycle refrigerant management were discussed. RMC was requested to participate on the panel to report on Canada’s experience in this area, as well as share insights on carbon credit markets. Kathleen shared what has been the key factors in the success of the RMC Program and how RMC ensures financial sustainability while ensuring compliance.
Session 4 was largely discussion-based, guided by two co-facilitators and followed by a Q&A with the audience. Questions for the panelists were shared in advance to help with preparation. Other panel participants included representatives from AGAS Australia, Climalife, Micronesia, Japan, the Government of Norway and the Multilateral (MLF) Secretariat.
Life-cycle refrigerant management is an emerging concept, especially in low-volume and Article 5 (developing) countries, where scaling up efforts faces financial challenges. Session 4 of the workshop highlighted various financing strategies to support LRM programs, aiming to equip participants with insights into sustainable funding approaches. Key funding options discussed included the Multilateral Fund, extended producer responsibility and product stewardship programs, levies and taxes, and carbon financing. These mechanisms, individually or combined, provide viable paths to support the establishment of effective LRM initiatives in developing regions.
The outcomes of the one-day LRM workshop were presented to the Thirty-Six Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol that was held after the workshop, from Oct 28 to Nov 1, 2024, for further consideration and possible recommendations.
It was a great opportunity to be involved and showcase the RMC Program. The experience was both enriching and informative learning about international approaches to refrigerant management.
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