WELLINGTON, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand will begin phasing down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) from 2020 as part of an international effort expected to avoid 0.5 degrees Celsius of global warming.

The government will put in place a permitting system to set annual limits on imports of bulk HFCs, which are potent greenhouse gases mainly used in refrigeration and air conditioning, Environment Minister David Parker said in a statement on Thursday.

The annual limits will reduce gradually over a 17-year period beginning in 2020. It will allow New Zealand to phase down the use of HFCs by more than 80 percent by 2037, Parker said.

Climate Change Minister James Shaw said the change is in line with New Zealand's obligations under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

"The amendment is expected to avoid up to 0.5 degrees Celsius of global warming by the end of the century. This is a significant contribution towards the Paris Agreement's objectives to keep the global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius, and will provide ongoing ozone protection," Shaw said.

Ratifying and implementing the Kigali Amendment supports New Zealand's transition to a sustainable and climate-resilient future, Shaw said, adding it also demonstrates New Zealand's commitment to global environmental and climate objectives, and to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Kigali Amendment will enter into force 90 days after New Zealand ratifies it. The permitting system is the last step in the process towards ratification of the Kigali Amendment.

"All the necessary domestic measures are completed and New Zealand will ratify the Kigali Amendment on 3 October 2019 so it enters into force on 1 January 2020," Parker said.