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Nearly 200
countries, including the United States and China, signed on to a
deal in Kigali, Rwanda that would reduce the use of factory-made
hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said it is unclear whether
the accord, which is an amendment to the 1987 Montreal Protocol,
would need to be ratified by the U.S. Senate.
The 1987 Montreal Protocol succeeded in phasing out the use of
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), widely used at that time in
refrigeration and aerosols.
"There has been an ongoing analysis of the agreement to
determine precisely what role Congress may have to play in
ensuring that the United States can keep the commitments that
were made in the context of that agreement," Earnest told
reporters traveling with President Barack Obama at a fundraiser
in Los Angeles.
Obama believes the agreement would serve the national interest
of the United States by helping to curb the impact of climate
change and by bolstering U.S. companies that develop
alternatives to HFCs, Earnest said.
He noted that any vote on the agreement would likely take place
after Obama leaves office in January.
"There will be a very strong case to make to the Senate about
why they should approve this agreement, if in fact their
approval is necessary," he said.
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