International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 2016 Address by the Minister of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development Dr. Gale Rigobert Today, 16 th September, Saint Lucia proudly joins the global community in observing International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, or Ozone Day, as is it more commonly known. For the past 22 years, the 16 th of September has been observed as a day to promote activities that support the objectives of the Vienna Convention and its Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international agreement that was established in response to the scientific confirmation that certain commonly-used chemicals known as Ozone Depleting Substances or ODS, were extremely damaging to the ozone layer. The Ozone layer is a shield of gas in the atmosphere that protects the Earth from the harmful portion of the sun s rays, thus helping to preserve life and property on the planet. Exposure to the sun s harmful UV radiation can result in skin cancer and eye cataracts, can harm marine life, ruin crops and even degrade wood, plastic and other construction materials. This year, our attention is being drawn to the contribution made by Parties of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol towards the restoration of the ozone layer and the global commitment to combat climate change under the theme: Ozone and climate: restored by a world united. Recently-published scientific studies have shown that the ozone layer is healing itself and that it is expected to recover by the middle of this century. Scientists have credited this healing to three decades of concerted international efforts since the signing of the Vienna Convention. These efforts have led to a reduction in the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances, and by doing so, have contributed to the mitigation of climate change, by averting the emission of more than 135 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Saint Lucia is a proud contributor to the global effort of restoring the ozone layer and addressing climate change. In 2008, we successfully phased out one group of ODS the chloroflurocarbons or CFCs, a remarkable two years ahead of the 2010 target date set by the Montreal Protocol. We are currently taking action towards eliminating another group of ozone-depleting substances called hydrochlorofluorocarbons, or HCFCs. Soon, we will be furthering our efforts by joining the rest of the world as we seek to control a third group of ODS known as hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, which also pose a threat to our climate by virtue of them being highly potent greenhouse gases. In Saint Lucia, our use of HCFCs and HFCs is concentrated in the refrigeration and air conditioning servicing sector, which ensures that our hotels, office buildings, restaurants, schools, hospitals and homes have the cooling required to maintain a comfortable environment. Air conditioning is also critical for the storage of vital medical supplies, necessary for food preparation and important to our tourism product. However, the fluorinated gases which have been proposed as alternatives to existing ozone-depleting refrigerants used in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry are themselves potent greenhouse gases. This means that they have a high ability to trap heat in our atmosphere and hence contribute significantly to global warming which results in climate change. Although we have begun to take action to ensure that we meet the 2030 phase-out target date for HCFCs, the second group of ODSs to be addressed, we still have a huge task of dealing with the impacts of climate change confronting us. These impacts are being felt and experienced in every part of the globe more than ever before, especially in developing countries where the degree of resilience is comparatively low. Recognizing this, Parties to the Montreal Protocol have embarked on another journey which aims to control the level of high global warming HFCs in our environment. Last November, Parties to the Montreal Protocol agreed on a plan for working towards the inclusion of HFCs as a group of substances to be controlled under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, given their high global warming potential. Fluorinated gases such as HFCs, although less damaging to the ozone layer than those refrigerants targeted by the Montreal Protocol, are better at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. Therefore, smaller amounts of these gases can cause a bigger problem in terms of global warming and, by extension, climate change.
From this year onwards, Parties will be negotiating the details of the phase-out targets for fluorinated gases and as such, the tagline working towards reducing global-warming HFCs under the Montreal Protocol has been chosen to complement this year s theme for Ozone Day. A possible amendment of the Montreal Protocol, aimed at reducing the production and consumption of HFCs, would present several opportunities for countries, including Saint Lucia. Firstly, it would provide an opportunity to make a concrete and substantial contribution towards meeting the ambitious goal of limiting the rise in global temperature to 2 C or ideally 1.5 C compared to pre-industrial levels by 2100, as outlined in the historic Paris Agreement on Climate Change. While HFCs are non-ozone depleting, they are the fastest growing greenhouse gases in many parts of the world, and it is possible that this accelerated growth could offset many of the climate benefits achieved by phasing out ozone depleting substances under the Montreal Protocol. According to scientific information, fast action under the Montreal Protocol to reduce HFCs could result in the avoidance of 0.4 C of global warming by the end of the century, while continuing to protect the ozone layer. Secondly, the opportunity would exist to promote public procurement of more ozone- and climatefriendly alternatives to ozone-depleting substances. Without the transition to suitable alternatives for refrigerants, such as those that have low global warming potentials (GWPs) and that are more energy-efficient, the maximum climate benefits from phasing-out HCFCs and the proposed phasedown of HFCs could not be achieved. Thirdly, the phase-down would present the opportunity to further strengthen institutional structures to ensure the proper use of climate- friendly alternatives, including through the updating of safety codes and standards, capacity building and training and certification of technicians in the refrigeration and air conditioning servicing sector. Under the current Hydrochloroflurorocarbon Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP), which outlines Saint Lucia s strategy to phase-out ozone depleting substances, technicians have received basic training aimed at reducing demand for virgin HCFCs through improved servicing practices, the recovery and reuse of refrigerants, and retrofitting to non-ozone depleting and low global warming alternatives such as hydrocarbons. The
training programme is earmarked for enhancement to include certification in new and emerging refrigerants on the market. I am pleased to note the efforts of the National Ozone Unit of the Department of Sustainable Development, in promoting alternatives that provide broader environmental benefits. It is also important to note the efforts of the refrigeration and air conditioning sector in introducing solar air conditioning units to the local market, providing consumers with an opportunity to reduce their energy consumption and, by extension, their monthly energy bills. I urge technicians in the sector to use the tools available to them to make their contribution to ozone protection and climate change. Get certified, practice good refrigeration and air conditioning practices, and take advantage of the duty-free concessions offered by the Ministry of Finance on equipment imported to recover and recycle refrigerants. At this juncture, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all our partners who have been instrumental in ensuring that Saint Lucia meets its obligations under the Montreal Protocol. I would like to thank; the Customs and Excise Department, the Marine Police Unit, the Caribbean Customs Law and Enforcement Council (CCLEC) and the Sustainable Development & Environment Division, for their commitment to the protection of the ozone layer which was demonstrated by their signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation which established an Illegal Trade Network for Ozone Depleting Substances in 2014. I would also like to thank the importers of ozone-depleting substances, for ensuring conformance with the requirements of the Montreal Protocol Act and Regulations, by registering with the National Ozone Unit and obtaining the necessary licences from the Ministry of Commerce; the Import Monitoring Unit of the Ministry of Commerce for its role in the implementation of the Quota and License System for ODS; the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards for assisting with the development of standards for the handling, storage, transportation and disposal of refrigerants; the Refrigeration and Air conditioning Technicians for engaging in good practices in the service sector and adhering to the certification requirements and finally, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), for their continuing support as implementing agencies for Saint Lucia s Hydrochlorofluorocarbon Phase-out Management Plan. I encourage the National Air Condition and Refrigeration and Association (NARA) to continue to work closely with the National Ozone Unit as we endeavour to identify cost-effective alternatives and create an enabling environment for the smooth transition to the alternatives to HCFCs and high global warming HFCs. You, the public, your contribution has been invaluable in ensuring that Saint Lucia met the first target of reducing our HCFC consumption by 10% in January 2015 and as Saint Lucia and the rest of the world look to controlling hydrofluorocarbons under the Montreal Protocol, your continuing support and efforts will be called upon once more. I encourage you to keep informed and to continue make ozone and climate friendly choices. Though the ozone layer is improving, we cannot forget our role in assisting with combating climate change. As US Secretary of State, John Kerry expressed, " by adopting an amendment to phase down the use of HFCs, we can honour the legacy of our predecessors, we can move closer to the goals we set in Paris, and - more importantly - we can help protect the future of the only planet that we have". Remember, every action counts! I thank you for your attention.