Deadline: 29-Aug-2025
The governments of Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, and Zimbabwe are collaborating to develop a business model for lifecycle refrigerant management, with a special focus on the end-of-life phase of refrigerants. This effort will be piloted through a project that involves the destruction of fluorocarbons using cement kilns, aiming to reduce harmful environmental emissions.
The project seeks to establish sustainable and environmentally sound systems for managing and destroying refrigerants in the four countries. It will improve processes such as the recovery, collection, testing, and management of old ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants. Training centers and waste management facilities will be equipped, and targeted capacity-building activities will be conducted for technicians, trainers, and waste handlers.
National or regional facilities for fluorocarbon destruction will be established, and the refrigerants collected through the project will be destroyed. The resulting emissions reductions will be credited in future Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement for each participating country.
This initiative is also intended to lead to the development of a sustainable financing mechanism that benefits all four countries. The goal is to create a replicable and scalable model that other developing countries can adopt to manage refrigerants more effectively and responsibly.
The estimated project cost ranges from $500,000 to $1 million. By the end of the project, each participating government is expected to have at least one operational fluorocarbon destruction facility. They will also build systems for the safe collection, storage, and transportation of unwanted refrigerants and raise awareness among stakeholders like the cement kiln industry, refrigerant collectors, technicians, and transporters.
Additionally, the project will encourage public-private partnerships and support the adoption of a replicable business model for fluorocarbon end-of-life management across the four countries. This model could later be adapted by other Article 5 countries based on the outcomes from Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
To be eligible for funding, proposals must come from NGOs, IGOs, or other not-for-profit entities. Proposals should fit within the estimated budget or justify any additional funding requests. Projects must be completed within 24 months and meet budgetary guidelines. Applicants must submit the last three years of audited financial statements either at the time of application or upon request.
For-profit entities can only participate as stakeholders, co-founders, or end users, and should be included in the proposal if their involvement is essential to the project’s success.
Proposals will be evaluated based on their clarity, scalability, and potential for lasting impact. Evaluation will also consider stakeholder involvement, understanding of risks, alignment with existing policies and initiatives, organizational capacity, and cost-effectiveness. Projects must meet at least Score 1 on the OECD DAC gender equality marker.
For more information, visit CCAC.
