A sub-regional two-day workshop on ODS phase-out in military applications was held recently in Sri Lanka. Inaugurating the workshop, Mr. Champika Ranawaka, Sri Lankas Environment and Natural Resources Minister, stated there will be climate-related conflicts in the future if the global community fails to protect the ozone layer. Mr. Ranawaka expressed that climate-related negotiations have not been fruitful, and climate-related terrorism is in the making and is already being witnessed in countries in Africa. Furthermore, countries in the Asia-Pacific region will need to collaborate with environmental and military experts to shut out ODS in these regions with greater and improved communication and help.

Mr. K. Madhava Sharma, Executive Secretary of the Montreal Protocol, observed that nearly 99 per cent of the ODS have been put out of use and the remaining 1 per cent is mostly military hardware. The workshop was attended by top military officers and scientists from China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Pakistan. Mr. Sharma stated that none of the new military applications have ODS such as Halons and CFCs, which are needed to support existing systems that were previously designed to use these materials, and most of the countries in the region are still reliant on this military hardware.
Source: www.dailymirror.lk

In the Philippines, a Regional Ozone Network (O-NET) seminar-workshop and re-orientation forum initiated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources together with its Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) Regional Office I was held at the Regional Education and Learning Centre (RELC) on the topic of mitigating the effects of climate change. The event focused mainly on the protection of the ozone a gas that is naturally present in the atmosphere. Aiming to enjoin the general public in saving the ozone layer from total destruction, the government has formed a Presidential Task Force pushing for mitigation and adaptation as the primary programme.

The primary objective of the Regional O-NET is to enhance awareness of participants on ozone depletion and its ill-effects, help protect the ozone layer through different advocacy programmes for the phase-out of ODS by 2010 and, also the continuous patronization of ODS alternatives or ozone-friendly chemicals, products and services. Also part of the O-NET activities in the region, students from the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University are going their own way to win the battle against climate change by planting trees in target areas and cleaning of coastal areas; participation in lectures/forum on climate change in schools and on different communities. Focal point/organization of the O-NETs are the EMB regional offices.
Source: www.pia.gov.ph

The Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Department of Environment (DOE) have embarked on a joint initiative to phase out the use of carbon tetrachloride (CTC) from the garment sector by the end of this year. CTC is used as a cleansing agent for metal and rubber components and stain remover for fabric. About 4,800 garments units in Bangladesh, which boosted the countrys economy earning about US$7 billion to US$10 billion a year, use CTC under various brand names. But, the export-oriented sector is needed to stop use of the CTC under Montreal Protocol by 1 January 2010 to sustain its business in the global market.

With support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), BGMEA and DOE arranged a workshop for garments businesses to equip them with the knowledge to phase out CTC. Addressing the inaugural session of the workshop, BGMEA President Mr. Abdus Salam Murshedy said initially representatives of 70 garment units were being trained on CTC phase-out and gradually it would be extended to all factories in the country. UNDP consultant Mr. Ksyem Prasad said many potential alternatives to CTC are available in the market. But, the garments industry should know about the measures that need be taken in order to use the alternatives.
Source: www.nation.ittefaq.com

Bromochloromethane has been banned in Hong Kong under a new regulation. The Ozone Layer Protection Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule) Order 2009 will bring Hong Kong into compliance with the additional requirements under the Montreal Protocol. The Environment Bureau said this is another step by Hong Kong in restoring the ozone layer, which protects life on Earth against harmful ultraviolet radiation. Bromochloromethane was included as an ODS to be controlled under the Protocol in 1999. Implementation of the order is slated for 1 October 2009.
Source: www.news.gov.hk

Pakistan, a party to the Montreal Protocol since 1992, has been in full compliance with regard to import of various ODS. However, carbon tetrachloride (CTC) emerged as an area of concern due to its excessive import, which put the country at the risk of non-compliance under the Montreal Protocol. At the 41st meeting of the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund, Pakistan had signed an agreement whereby it inter alia agreed that allowable consumption of CTC during the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 would be 61.9, 42, 32, 15 and zero ODP tonnes, respectively. To regulate CTC imports, the Ministry of Commerce, on the recommendation of Ozone Cell, Ministry of Environment, allocated CTC import quota to five eligible importers in December 2004. Owing to lack of coordination between national and international stakeholders, a few importers manoeuvred to import CTC in excess of the allocated quota. The Ozone Cell accelerated its coordination with the national stakeholders, specially the Federal Bureau of Revenue and Ministry of Commerce, to monitor and control the import of CTC to bring the country back into compliance. However, as there is no restriction on the exporting country to export an ODS under the Protocol, the sword of unauthorized imports of CTC was hanging.

In order to arrest the problem, the Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) team and its leader Mr. Atul Bagai, UNEP Regional Officer, provided an opportunity to the Programme Manager (Ozone Cell, Pakistan) to meet with his counterpart in the Republic of Korea, Mr. Lim, on the sideline of the South Asia and Southeast Asia Network Meeting of the ODS officers held in 2006 at Bangkok to exchange views for controlling the export of CTC from the Republic of Korea to some unauthorized importers in Pakistan. During this informal meeting initiated by UNEP, the ozone officer of the Republic of Korea provided information about an attempt of CTC import by a Karachi-based unauthorized importer. Later on, the National Ozone Unit (NOU) of Pakistan and NOU-Republic of Korea continued their cooperation under informal Prior Informed Consent system to exchange information on the import/export of ODS. This interaction and coordination facilitated NOU-Pakistan to curb the issue of illegal CTC trade, thereby bringing Pakistan back into compliance. In the wake of a ban imposed on CTC import and with the UNEP-initiated cooperation between NOU-Pakistan and NOU-Republic of Korea, CTC imports were brought down to zero in 2008 one year ahead of the CTC phase-out target under the Montreal Protocol. The importing and exporting countries may follow this precedent of the UNEP-initiated South-South Cooperation to meet the challenge of illegal trade of various ODS. Contact: Mr. M. M. Akhtar, National Programme Manager, Ozone Cell (Montreal Protocol Project), Ministry of Environment, Government of Pakistan, 339, Ravi Road, G-8/2, Islamabad, Pakistan. Tel: +92 (51) 9260 686; E-mail: Ozonecell@ymail.com.
Source: www.unep.fr

The United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing the achievements of more than 40 individuals, organizations and companies actively contributing to the restoration and protection of the Earths ozone layer and climate system. The 2009 Ozone Layer Protection Award winners have enforced regulations on ODSs, increased public awareness of skin cancer prevention and also developed advanced supermarket refrigerant technologies. Further, the winners were responsible for eliminating ODS in medical, pest control and agricultural applications, where alternatives are difficult to implement.

The 2009 Climate Protection Award winners made exceptional contributions to climate protection. Collectively, their actions are expected to avoid the equivalent of more than 6 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions by 2020. The award winners are achieving these savings by slashing energy consumption, unveiling renewable energy technologies, initiating state policies to address climate change and promoting international action to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. The Ozone Layer Protection Awards were established in 1990 to recognize outstanding contributions to ozone layer protection, while the Climate Protection Awards were established in 1998 to recognize firms, organizations and individuals for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. Since the annual awards began, EPA has honoured recipients from over 50 nations.
Source: www.yosemite.epa.gov

UNEP Division of Technology, Industries and Economics OzonAction Programme started development of the HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) in Maldives during 18-22 April 2009. The initiative, headed by Mr. Atul Bagai, Regional Network Coordinator for South Asia, is the first of its kind and will explore the linkages between ozone and climate change while Maldives strives to initiate the phase out of HCFCs during 2010-2015. HCFCs are used extensively in refrigeration and air-conditioning in Maldives and in the tourism and fish processing industry, the two main backbones of the Maldivian economy. In addition to consultation meetings with government officials, stakeholders as well as industry representatives, Mr. Bagai met with Vice-President Dr. Mohammed Waheed Hassanmanik on Maldives efforts in CFC phase-out and the challenges ahead for HCFC phase-out. The HPMP will be evaluating carbon emissions from the HCFC use and will suggest activities to phase out this use which will strengthen efforts of Maldives to make it carbon neutral in the next 10 years.
Source: www.unep.fr

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) was honoured by the United States Environmental Protection Agency with an Ozone Layer Protection Award for 2009. SPREP, the regions leader in environmental management and conservation, has coordinated regional ozone protection activities since its inception. SPREPs work with Pacific island countries and territories has resulted in the implementation of national legislation and other measures in the shift away from ODSs in the region. Mr. Espen Ronneberg, SPREPs Climate Change Adviser, stated that the award recognises the efforts of the region to deal with this important environmental issue. While the region contributes little to the global emissions of ODS, it is certainly doing its part to address the problem.
Source: www.solomontimes.com

Afghanistan ratified the Montreal Protocol on 17 June 2004 and has been implementing project activities, regulations and capacity-building activities to facilitate the phase-out of ODS. HCFCs are controlled substances used in air-conditioning and foam applications. Under the Montreal Protocol, consumption and production of these substances were required to be phased out by 2040 with a cap at 2015 levels from 2016 to 2039. In 2007, the parties to the Montreal Protocol came together and agreed to an accelerated phase-out of HCFCs. Under this accelerated HCFC phase-out, the baseline was defined as the average production and consumption for 2009 and 2010 for developing nations, which are required to freeze their HCFC consumption by 2013 at baseline level, and reduce by 10, 35, 67.5 and 97.5 per cent by 2015, 2020, 2025 and 2030, respectively. Between 2031 and 2040, 2.5 per cent average of baseline would be allowed for consumption in refrigeration and air-conditioning servicing applications. An important element of the accelerated HCFCs phase-out is to achieve this through adoption of technologies that minimize green house gas emissions.

In order to develop an overall HCFC phase-out strategy and to achieve the immediate targets of 2013 and 2015, National Ozone Unit, National Environment Protection Agency of Afghanistan, will prepare an HCFC Phase-out Management Plan with financial assistance from Multilateral Fund and UNEP. The government believes that data collection and strategy development is very important to achieve HCFC phase-out systematically, in line with the nations commitments under the Protocol. Refrigeration and the other relevant sectors need to assist in providing data and other inputs sought by consultants and government in this process. Government will also have periodic dialogues with the relevant agencies, specifically in the refrigeration sector, in the next few months and is expected to develop and implement a strategy for HCFC phase-out as per its Montreal Protocol commitments. Contact: Mr. H.A. Haleemzai, National Ozone Officer, National Environmental Protection Agency, Shisdarak Kabul, Afghanistan. Tel: +93 (774) 758 811; E-mail: haroon.haleemzai @ozone-afghan.gov.af.
Source: www.unep.fr

The Technician Training Programme on Good Practices in Refrigeration is aimed at strategically phasing out ozone depleting refrigerants in Sri Lanka. It was commenced in June 2001 as part of the Refrigerant Management Plan (RMP) for Sri Lanka with the assistance of UNEP under the Montreal Protocol. The RMP project consists of two components, Phase I and Phase II. Phase I commenced in June 2001 and ended in August 2002, while Phase II commenced in September 2001 and closed in September 2004. In October 2004, an Extension Training on Good Practices in Refrigeration was commenced as part of the National Compliance Action Plan (NCAP) for Sri Lanka with the assistance of UNEP under the Montreal Protocol. This first part of the project was successfully completed at the end of 2006 as scheduled, exceeding the targets set in the memorandum of understanding (MoU). Part two of the project commenced in January 2007 and was successfully completed at the end of 2008 as scheduled, again exceeding the targets set under the MoU.
Source: www.noulanka.lk