Training, certification and technical skills development will be at the centre of the side event organised by Associazione Tecnici del Freddo – ATF during the 38th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol. Entitled “Certification and Training Across Continents: Progress and Future Scenarios on the 10th Anniversary of the Kigali Amendment”, the event will take place on Thursday, 5 November 2026, from 13:00 to 15:00 CAT in Kigali, Room AD:12-B.
The side event is being held to mark the 10th anniversary of the Kigali Amendment, adopted in 2016 with the aim of progressively phasing down HFCs and supporting the global transition towards more sustainable cooling. As highlighted in the event presentation, this transition requires a skilled workforce capable of safely installing, servicing, maintaining and decommissioning new generations of RACHP equipment.
The programme will begin at 13:00 with an opening lunch buffet, followed at 13:30 by the opening remarks and the official launch of the International Special Issue 2026-27 of Industria & Formazione, presented by Marco Buoni for ATF and Yosr Allouche, Director General of the International Institute of Refrigeration – IIR.
From 13:40 to 14:40, the discussion will focus on international and regional perspectives on training and certification.
Yosr Allouche – International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) will provide an international perspective on the role of skills in the sector’s transition.
Marco Buoni – Associazione Tecnici del Freddo (ATF) will present the European experience, with particular attention to the development of training and certification systems linked to regulatory and technological evolution.
Baolong Wang – Tsinghua University, China will illustrate the Chinese experience, while Basile Seburikoko – U-3ARC, Africa will bring the African perspective, with specific attention to capacity building and the development of local skills.
Completing the picture will be Mark Miller – MOPIA, Canada and Kylie Farrelley – RRA, Australia, who will present respectively the North American and Oceanian experience.
From 14:40 to 15:00, the programme will conclude with a Q&A and open discussion with the audience, followed by closing remarks.
The aim of the side event is therefore to compare models and experiences from different continents, identifying approaches and initiatives that can be replicated to strengthen technician skills and support a safe and effective global transition towards low-GWP refrigerants.