Ashgabat hosted consultative interdepartmental meeting dedicated to the Provisions of the fifth Kigali Amendment of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.Head of Legal Department of Global Ozone Secretariat of the Montreal Protocol Gilbert Bankobeza and Head of Regional Ozone Network of Europe and Central Asia under the Ozone Action UN Environmental Programme Halvart Koppen took part in the event organized with support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Protection of Turkmenistan and the UN Development Programme.
It is worth reminding that Turkmenistan has ratified four amendments, which were adopted previously, and steadily fulfils its international obligations followed from the Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol.
The Kigali Amendment was adopted in 2016 and aims at activation of integrated work, which is carried out on deterrence of the processes of exhaustion of the ozone layer and effects of climate change.
As is known, new Freon the hydrofluorocarbons, which were suggested as efficient alternative to ozone-depleting substances, turned to be potent greenhouse gases, which concentration increment in the atmosphere enhances global warming.
In this regard, new amendment of the Montreal Protocol, which is to reduce the consumption of such coolants and to replace them with substance safe for ozone and climate including the substances of natural origin like ammonia, butane, isobutene, carbon dioxide, propylene and water.
It was managed to ban more than 100 substance, which deplete the ozone layer, under the Montreal Protocol.
In addition to specialists of structural divisions of the ministers and departments of the country, representatives of foreign companies Gap İnşaat and Bouygues Turkmen, members of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs as well as specialists of national companies serving refrigeration equipment took part in the meeting.
National experts presented the reviews on activities in the sphere of mitigation of climate changes as well as on legislation in this field, spoke of development of the coolant section, capabilities of introduction of new generation Freon and the mixtures containing this gas.
In this context, the importance of adoption of new edition of National Strategy of Turkmenistan on climate change has been highlighted.Aspects of application of alternatives to ozone-depleting substances and technological innovations have also been discussed.
Foreign experts made presentations in new amendment and financial support of the states, which have joined the document (83 countries). “Depletion of the ozone layer make harmful effect on genetics and immune system and on human activity in general, - Mr Bakonbeza noted.
The Kigali Amendment is able to freeze the use of greenhouse gases by 2030 and stop climate changes if most of the countries will adopt it.
It was highlighted that every country is free to choose safe coolants. The Ozone Secretariat and the UN Environment Programme, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the UNDP provide technical support, work with producers and customs authorities, supports institutional processes.
Mr Koppen told about technical details and disposal of hydrofluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons contained in equipment, medical instruments and firefighting equipment. He informed that at present time, use of dangerous coolants is minimized. For example, consumption of dangerous coolants in Europe has reduced by 37 percent.
The participants have also focused on the aspects of energy efficiency the direction, which is correlated with the process of removal of aggressive coolants from use.