Israel Completes Kigali Ratification: What to Ask Before Buying an Air Conditioner or Cooling System
Israel has completed ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, a step intended to gradually reduce the use of refrigerants with a strong climate impact. This week's announcement does not set a deadline for replacing a home air conditioner. For anyone planning a purchase, the practical implication is to ask about the refrigerant and long‑term servicing alongside price and warranty.
The UN ratification record states that Israel deposited its instrument on 5 October 2026 and that the amendment will take effect for Israel on 3 January 2027. These are two different dates. Reports published on 26 and 27 October concern completion of the process and preparations across the economy, rather than a new ban starting on the article's publication date.
The change concerns the gases inside the system
The Kigali Amendment addresses HFC gases, used in refrigeration and air conditioning among other applications. The UN Ozone Secretariat explains that these gases do not damage the ozone layer but are powerful greenhouse gases. Their reduction therefore falls within the Montreal Protocol's international framework, although the environmental issue here is their effect on the climate.
According to the TPS news agency's 27 October report, Israel commits to an 85% reduction in HFC consumption by 2036 under the plan. This is an economy‑wide target relative to its established baseline. It does not mean every household must reduce air‑conditioning hours by that percentage or remove a working appliance.
That distinction also matters when choosing new equipment. Refrigerant type and electricity consumption are separate specifications. Describing a gas as having a lower climate impact does not, by itself, show how much electricity a particular air conditioner will use in your home. Ask for separate system data instead of relying on a general description of it as environmentally friendly.
Preparations began before ratification
Reports on the Environmental Protection Ministry's announcement on 26 October said Israel began incorporating HFC reductions into regulations in 2020. Ratification therefore joins a process already underway, rather than creating a new market overnight. The reduction described for 2026 is 25% against the established baseline.
Under the published schedule, the reduction will reach 40% in 2027, 55% in 2028 and 70% in 2029. It will subsequently reach 80% in 2034 and 85% in 2036. These are reductions against the baseline, not additional annual reductions of that percentage against the previous year.
For a homeowner, the figures mainly provide a timeframe for questions to ask a seller or installer. If a system is expected to serve you for years, understand what its maintenance requires, who provides service and exactly what the quote includes. The schedule does not establish a future price for a particular refrigerant or guarantee a known increase or decrease in your repair costs.
Four questions before comparing quotes
First, ask for the precise refrigerant name and model number. The word "gas" alone is insufficient for comparing systems. Have the details included in the written quote alongside the units and installation scope, so you can refer to them during future servicing rather than relying on your memory of a shop conversation.
Second, ask who is responsible for service after installation. Check the product warranty, installation work and terms for booking a technician separately. If a seller claims the transition makes a particular model a poor purchase, ask for an explanation relating to that model and its service arrangements, rather than a general headline about an international agreement.
Third, establish what will happen to the existing system if you replace it. Ask the installer to specify the necessary dismantling and handling work in the quote, and who is responsible for it. The announcement about new refrigerants does not imply that the substance in an old system can simply be swapped; suitability is a professional question about that specific system.
Fourth, ask to separate the purchase price from anticipated maintenance under the service terms offered. There is no need to invent a forecast of a decade's expenses. Start by comparing items that can be answered now: warranty coverage, the price of an uncovered service visit, provider details and the work records supplied to the customer.
The profession behind installation is changing too
In 2025, the Knesset passed a law regulating work on refrigeration and air‑conditioning systems. Alongside ratification, the Environmental Protection Ministry's announcement describes preparations to train and license professionals working with new refrigerants. The Labor Ministry operates an application route for licensing in the field, requiring training documents according to the applicant's pathway.
Consumers do not need to interpret every training route to request clear information. Before booking work, ask who will perform it and what training and licensing suit the proposed job. For a shared building system, the residents' committee should obtain written answers and pass them to whoever will manage maintenance in the future.
The new announcement does not publish a household grant, an installation price list or a universal shutdown date for older air conditioners. A purchase should therefore not rest on an assumed benefit or pressure to replace functioning equipment immediately. Anyone already planning a renovation or replacement can use the time to obtain detailed quotes and compare them.
The international step is complete, but household decisions still depend on the particular system and your needs. Recording the model, refrigerant, warranty and service provider is more useful than a general promise about an "air conditioner of the future." It connects a long‑term market transition to a small, clear decision: knowing what you are buying and who can service it after installation.
