UNEP DTIE OzonAction Branch: News

In this issue:
1- Action on HFC Gases 'Low Hanging Fruit' Opportunity to Combat Climate Change Says UN Environment Chief
2- The Large Contribution of Projected HFC Emissions to Future Climate Forcing
3- Ozone Hole has Unforeseen Effect on Ocean Carbon Sink
4- Ministry Begins Ozone Depletion Awareness Programme (Nigeria)
5- Japan's Cool Earth Partnership
6- China-ECA Dialog on Cooperation in Border Enforcement
7- India to Oppose Move to Shift HFC Regulation to Montreal Pact
8- Workshop to Prepare a National Plan on Ozone Layer Depletion
9- Yemen Launches Program to Protect the Ozone

1- Action on HFC Gases 'Low Hanging Fruit' Opportunity to Combat Climate Change Says UN Environment Chief
Nairobi, 22 June 2009 - A scientific paper, highlighting the need to accelerate action over a group of gases known as Hydroflurocarbons (HFCs) as part of the climate change agenda, was today welcomed by the head of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
The findings, by an international team of researchers are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The scientists argue that HFC use could climb sharply in the coming years in products such as insulation foams air conditioning units and refrigeration as replacements for ones being phased-out to protect the ozone layer.
Under a scenario where carbon dioxide emissions are pegged to 450 parts per million HFCs could equal nine Gigatonnes - equivalent to around 45 per cent of total C02 emissions - by 2050 if their growth is unchecked.
Conversely, rapid action to freeze and to cut emissions annually alongside fostering readily available alternatives could see HFC emissions fall to under one Gigatonne by 2050. Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, said: "Dramatically cutting carbon dioxide emissions from society's inefficient energy use is the key to catalyzing a transition to a low, carbon resource efficient Green Economy. It is also central to delivering a stabilization of the atmosphere as outlined by the assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change".
"But there are other low hanging fruit in the climate change challenge and this new scientific paper spotlights one of them - HFCs. By some estimates, action to freeze and then reduce this group of gases could buy the
world the equivalent of a decades-worth of C02 emissions," he added.
The projected growth in production and consumption of HFCs is in part linked with the success of the UNEP administered Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer. Since the late 1980s, this treaty has successfully phased-out 97 per cent of 100 chemicals that damage the protective shield that filters out harmful ultra violet rays to the Earth.
Over recent years, research has outlined that global efforts to protect the ozone layer has also delivered climate benefits as many of the chemicals that damage the ozone layer - such as chloroflurocarbons or CFCs - also cause global warming.
In 2007 a scientific paper calculated the climate mitigation benefits of the ozone treaty as totaling an equivalent of 135 billion tonnes of C02 since 1990 or a delay in global warming of seven to 12 years.
In that same year countries meeting in Canada, under the Montreal Protocol, agreed to an accelerated freeze and phase-out of Hydrochloroflurocarbons (HCFCs)-chemicals designed to replace the old, more ozone damaging CFCs - in the main for the climate benefits.
The new paper indicates that unless there is action on HFCs, then countries and companies are likely to pick this group of gases to replace HCFCs in products such as air conditioning units, refrigeration and insulating foams.
Guus Velders of the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, the lead author, said in a statement: "Our team of scientists calculates that HFCs present a significant threat to the world's efforts to stabilize climate emissions".
"Because of the projected growth of these climate-warming chemicals, they could represent up to 45 per cent of the total global C02 emissions by 2050 under a scenario that stabilizes C02 emissions at 450 parts per million Preventing strong growth in HFC use is an important climate mitigation option the world has now". Under a business as usual scenario, where C02 emissions are higher, HFCs could equate to between nine and 19 per cent of C02 emissions in 2050 causing a greenhouse effect equal to 6-13 years of global C02 pollution.
In 2008, governments requested the executive secretaries of the Montreal Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - Marco Gonzalez and Yvo de Boer - to cooperate more closely including on the issue of HFCs and that cooperation is on-going.
Contact: Nick Nuttall, UNEP Spokesperson/Head of Media, nick.nuttall@unep.org
SOURCE: UNEP, 22 June 2009, http://www.unep.fr/ozonaction/information/mmcfiles/6283-e-hfcunepPRjune09.pdf

2- The Large Contribution of Projected HFC Emissions to Future Climate Forcing
Guus J. M. Velders, David W. Fahey, John S. Daniel, Mack McFarland and Stephen O. Andersen
The consumption and emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are projected to increase substantially in the coming decades in response to regulation of ozone depleting gases under the Montreal Protocol. The projected increases result primarily from sustained growth in demand for refrigeration, air-conditioning (AC) and insulating foam products in developing countries assuming no new regulation of HFC consumption or emissions. New HFC scenarios are presented based on current hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) consumption in leading applications, patterns of replacements of HCFCs by HFCs in developed countries, and gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Global HFC emissions significantly exceed previous estimates after 2025 with developing country emissions as much as 800% greater than in developed countries in 2050. Global HFC emissions in 2050 are equivalent to 9-19% (CO2-eq. basis) of projected global CO2 emissions in business-as-usual scenarios and contribute a radiative forcing equivalent to that from 6-13 years of CO2 emissions near 2050. This percentage increases to 28-45% compared with projected CO2 emissions in a 450-ppm CO2 stabilization scenario. In a hypothetical scenario based on a global cap followed by 4% annual reductions in consumption, HFC radiative forcing is shown to peak and begin to decline before 2050.
Read more >> Factsheet | Report
SOURCE: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) , 22 June 2009, http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2009/06/19/0902817106.abstract?sid=bbcf981b-c088-4909-81f0-374a25fd2492

3- Ozone Hole has Unforeseen Effect on Ocean Carbon Sink
Journal reference: Geophysical Research Letters (DOI: 10.1029/2009GL038227)
SOURCE: NewScientist.com, 26 June 2009 by Kate Ravilious,
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17385-ozone-hole-has-unforeseen-effect-on-ocean-carbon-sink.html

4- Ministry Begins Ozone Depletion Awareness Programme (Nigeria)
SOURCE: AllAfrica.com, Quoting Daily Trust, 19 June, 2009, http://allafrica.com/stories/200906190381.html

SOUTH ASIA

5- Japan's Cool Earth Partnership
The Government of Japan established this financial mechanism to assist developing countries to address climate change. Starting in 2008 and lasting for 5 years, Japan will provide funds amounting to approximately US$ 10 billion (JPYen 1,250 billion) for assistance to developing countries that are making efforts to reduce GHGs emissions and achieve economic growth in a compatible way, on the basis of policy consultations between Japan and those countries. Japan will provide assistance in two major categories: (1) adaptation to climate change and improved access to clean energy (up to US$ 2 billion, or JPYen 250 billion) and (2) assistance for mitigation of climate change (up to US$ 8 billion, or JPYen 1 trillion). As an example in the "Mitigation of climate change", the Fund would consider measures to mitigate effects of global warming by reducing GHGs emissions. It is possible that projects involving reduction of GHG emissions by addressing HCFCs or HFCs could be eligible.
SOURCE: Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan's Cool Earth Partnership , http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/economy/wef/2008/mechanism.html

6- China-ECA Dialog on Cooperation in Border Enforcement
Strengthening national institutions through regional co-operation. Forty Chinese Customs Officers from Urumqi Anti-Smuggling Bureau, Policy & Regulation Division, Field Service as well as Customs Offices in Kashi, Allah Mountain, Huoerguosi and Urumqi airport participated in a training related to the Montreal Protocol to Protect the Ozone Layer in Urumqi, China, 25 June 2009. Forty (40) Chinese Customs Officers from Urumqi Anti-Smuggling Bureau, Policy & Regulation Division, Field Service as well as Customs Offices in Kashi, Allah Mountain, Huoerguosi and Urumqi airport participated in a training related to the Montreal Protocol to Protect the Ozone Layer in Urumqi, China, 25 June 2009.
It was the first time that such training was conducted in the Western part of China addressing the issues related to illegal trade of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). The participation of Customs and Ozone Officers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan provided the opportunity to establish initial contacts and to exchange information between China and its neighboring countries.
The training raised awareness of Customs Officers on their important role in protecting the ozone layer and preventing illegal trade with ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and informed on commonly used smuggling schemes. During the training, the use of identifiers was demonstrated and the contents of actual refrigerant containers verified.
The training was preceded by a 2-day Dialog on border enforcement between China and the participating Central Asian countries to establish modalities of communication and cooperation between Customs and Enforcement Authorities and Ozone Focal Points in the participating countries and to implement measures to improve border control in general.
The main problem appears to be the availability of CFC refrigerants, halon fire extinguishers and CFC-based refrigeration equipment originating from China on the local markets in Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries despite the fact that China did not issue export licenses in recent years.
Usually, ODS cylinders are legally purchased on local markets in China e.g. Urumqi and smuggled in private cars and passenger trains across the border. However, larger scale smuggling of ODS in
containers and trucks can be suspected.
The meeting agreed some 25 recommendations related to the implementation of policy measure including bans of placing on the market of virgin CFCs, labelling requirements for refrigerant cylinders, registration and certification schemes for technicians and companies dealing with ODS, log-book keeping for importers, exporters and dealers of ODS and mandatory proof of origin for ODS imports. Other more short-term recommendation concern the designation of focal points for better cross-border communication, awareness campaigns to discourage potential smugglers and to inform on the potential fines and sentences in case of law breaking.
The meeting also agreed to continue this dialog in the framework of the recently approved Enforcement Network of the Regional Ozone Network for Europe & Central Asia (ECA network) and to invite the Chinese delegation to attend the first meeting of the ECA enforcement network in Budapest, Hungary, 12-14 October 2009.
The meeting was opened by the Director General of MEP's Foreign Economic Cooperation Office Mr. Wen Wurui, the Head of Urumqi Customs Mr. Wang Zhixiong and the Deputy Division Chief of the Anti-Smuggling Bureau in Beijing Ms. Liuying Yang. The meeting was additional staff of MEP FECO, UNEP's offices in Bangkok and Paris offices, a Polish policy expert and a Chinese trainer. The Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) and the China Customs Administration in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) organized this Dialog as a continuation and follow-up to the earlier Dialog initiated during the Trilateral Meeting with China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on control of trade in ODS held in Issyk-Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan, 25-27 August 2005.
The meeting documents and presentations will shortly be made available through the ECA network's website: http://fr1.estis.net/sites/ecanetwork/default.asp?site=ecanetwork&page_id=307B1890-
AC52-476A-990E-07220A21C262
Contact:
MEP FECO National Management Office of ODS Import and Export, Hong Yun, hong.yun@mepfeco.org.cn
UNEP DTIE OzonAction Branch, Halvart Koeppen, Regional Officer (Europe & Central Asia), halvart.koppen@unep.org
SOURCE: UNEP DTIE, 29 June 2009, http://www.unep.fr/ozonaction/information/mmcfiles/6284-e-urumqi_PR.pdf

7- India to Oppose Move to Shift HFC Regulation to Montreal Pact
SOURCE: The Hindu, Sunday, June 21, 2009, http://www.thehindu.com/holnus/008200906211751.htm

WEST ASIA

8- Workshop to Prepare a National Plan on Ozone Layer Depletion
SOURCE: SANA, 29 June 2009, http://www.un.org.sy/forms/news/viewNews.php?idField=350

9- Yemen Launches Program to Protect the Ozone
SOURCE: yementimes.com, 27 June 2009, Ismail Al-Ghabri, http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1272&p=local&a=4

___________
FEATURED

LATEST FROM OzonAction
>> UNEP Milan Conference Discusses Refrigerants and Policy
Policy makers and representatives from industry and academia presented their views on the latest developments in the HVAC&R sector at the 13th edition of the biennial "European Conference Technological Innovations in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry" held last week in Milan. An overview of key presentations is provided here. About 200 participants gathered in Milan to attend the "XIII European Conference Technological Innovations in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry" at the end of last week. Held under the auspices of several Italian ministries and organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR), the Centro Studi Galileo and the Associazione dei Tecnici italiani del Freddo, the conference consisted of 5 sessions over 2 days, where more than 60 speakers discussed the latest developments in the HVAC&R sector. A selection of some of the presentations hereinafter:
- Green and Cool Deal: Antidote for Crises, Rajendra Shende, Head OzonAction Branch, UNEP DTIE
- UNEP Assistance in Phasing out HCFC: What you can do to help developing countries to go beyond only 'compliance', Ezra Clark, OzonAction UNEP DTIE
- Mitigating the climate impact of refrigerants: The EU and international policy, Thomas Verheye & Marios Avraamides, European Commission, Environment Directorate General
- Sustainable Refrigeration, Paul Homsy, Nestlé
- Reversible Residential Air-Conditioners and Heat Pumps Using Carbon Dioxide (CO2, R744) as Working Fluid, A. Hafner, P. Neksa, J. Stene, SINTEF Energy Research, Norway
- What to do with R-22 existing systems? Isceon®, the cost effective non-ozone depleting alternative, Jose P. Garcia Espinosa, DuPont Fluorochemicals
- Low GWP Refrigerant Development, Nacer Achaichia & Giancarlo Matteo, Honeywel
Read more: http://www.r744.com/articles/2009-06-16-unep-milan-conference-discusses-refrigerants-and-policy.php
SOURCE: R744.com, 16 June 2009, http://www.r744.com/

>> 2009 OzoNews Readers Survey - Report - OzonAction would like to thank you for taking the time to respond to our recent OzoNews Readers Survey. We greatly appreciated receiving your thoughts and opinions!
We are keen to share with you the results of the survey; therefore, we compiled the feedback in a short report, enclosed in this edition. The assessment shows that 96% of readers are satisfied or very satisfied by OzoNews and three-quarters share OzoNews with friends or colleagues, thus increasing the number of OzoNews readers to several tens of thousands around the world. Your invaluable support and feedback will help us serve you better. We always welcome your feedback to continue spreading news about the importance of ozone layer protection and the implementation of the Montreal Protocol.
Read/Download the Report

LISTENING
>> Dermatologist Offers Tips for Skin, Sun Safety
According to the National Cancer Institute, the number of people who have developed melanoma has more than doubled over the past 30 years. Dermatologist Darrell Rigel joins "Fresh Air" to explain the sun's effects on the skin, what "SPF" means and why skin cancer rates are going up.
A clinical professor at New York University Medical Center, is the lead editor of Cancer of the Skin, the major textbook in his field. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105867717

READING
>> Twenty Years of Ozone Decline
This book includes articles presented by leading scientists in the ozone field at the Symposium for the 20th Anniversary of the Montreal Protocol, jointly organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Ozone Commission (IO3C), the Academy of Athens and the Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation, held in Athens in September 2007. His Excellency Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, recently stated: "The success of the Montreal Protocol shows us that there are global instruments that can help curb the impact of human activities on the global environment. We should draw lessons from this experience, and strive to replicate it." This book responds by including the history, science and lessons learned by the application of the Montreal Protocol over the past twenty years. Expressed views come from three Nobel laureates, sixty scientists and representatives of international organizations and industry. Many interesting aspects of ongoing ozone research are also presented, including comparisons of what has been achieved versus what would have been the state of ozone, climate and UV in the environment if the Protocol had never been in use.
More @ SpringerLink, 29 May 2009, http://www.springerlink.com/

Technology and Economic Assessment Panel report on the environmentally sound management of banks of ozone-depleting substances: executive summary - UNEP/OzL.Pro/Workshop.3/3 (A) (C) (E) (F) (R) (S)

EVENT
>> Documents for the 58th Meeting of the Executive Committee The Multilateral Fund Executive Committee will meet in Montreal, Canada from 6-10 July 2009. Pre-session documents for the meeting are available from the 58th Executive Committee Meeting page http://www.multilateralfund.org/show/page/58th_executive_committee_meeti.htm

>> Documents for the Montreal Protocol July 2009 meetings in Geneva, Switzerland are available from the UNEP Ozone Secretariat at http://ozone.unep.org/highlights.shtml

> Side Events during 29th OEWG Revision of Regulation (EC) No.2037/2000 on Substances that Deplete The Ozone Layer. The European Community through its Commission is considering organizing a side event during the OEWG meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in Geneva, 15-18 July 2009 , to enable interested Parties discuss and ask questions on the Revision of Regulation (EC) No. 2037/2000 on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Highlights of the proposed revisions to be discussed during the side event are contained in the communication received by the Secretariat and posted here > http://ozone.unep.org/Meeting_Documents/oewg/29oewg/European%20Commission-side%20event.pdf

VIDEO
>> Fixing the Hole http://unep.org/NewsCentre/videos/player_new.asp?w=320&h=240&f=/newscentre/videos/shortfilms/2007-1-09_Fixing_The_Hole

WEBSITE
>> The 2009 Ozone Hole is Up for Auction - To the winner of the auction a banner advertisement or a comparable advertisement vehicle created by your company or organization will be placed on the top and bottom of every page of their websites replacing all of the existing banner advertising for one year. --- A greener thought for banner advertising. The 2009 Ozone Hole is up for auction. The Ozone Hole Inc. a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the ozone layer, the climate and Earth's environment by educating and motivating the public through its internationally respected website. Last year, 2.3 million people visited the sites - people from all 50 states and 197 countries. Thousands of websites around the world have links to The Ozone Hole website… Learn more >>> http://www.theozonehole.com/aboutus.htm