Six South Asian Countries to Form an Alliance to Address
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ozone...@gmail.com
Oct 23, 2008, 5:11:00 AM10/23/08
to ozoneorbit
Kathmandu/ Bangkok, 23 October 2008- An alliance will be forged to
tackle the environmental crime of illegal trade in ozone-depleting
substances (ODS), National Ozone Officers and Customs authorities from
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka will discuss and
share strategies on enforcement and information sharing mechanisms on
the control of ODS trade in a border dialogue facilitated by the
Compliance Assistance Programme of OzonAction Programme of United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) under the Multilateral Fund for
the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol and hosted by the
Government of Nepal on 23-24 October 2008 in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The illegal trade in ODS, has emerged as a significant global problem
for many years, especially in Asia. While much equipment still exists
in the region that is reliant on ODS, countries have committed to
reduce consumption and production of many chemicals in line with the
phase-out schedule dictated by the Montreal Protocol. This has led to
growing smuggling of these chemicals to satisfy demand from users,
which has hampered the take-up of alternative chemicals.
Some of the recent reports showed illegally traded and seized CFC-12
in China, HCFC-22 illegally traded across Bangladesh-India borders and
seized in India and CFC-12 illegally exported and seized in Thailand.
These seizures indicate that a combination of customs training,
cooperation between different government agencies and vigilance is a
potent weapon against this kind of environmental crime. Another lesson
learnt was that combating illegal trade requires sub-regional
cooperation between neighbouring countries. UNEP has been facilitating
information exchange, enforcement coordination, capacity building and
border dialogues since the year 2003.
“Unified international efforts will be the key to the prevention of
the environmental crime related to the trade in ODS” said Mr. Ganesh
Shah, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Nepal whiles in
operating the sub-regional border dialogue which he described as a
“Dialogue of Friendship”.
“Solving this crisis and minimizing its economic and industrial upshot
requires close cooperation among nations as well as industry
partnership in controlling illegal trade” said His Excellency
Ambassador of India to Nepal, Mr. Rakesh Sood.
Besides promoting cooperation among customs authorities and National
Ozone Officers, the dialogue is also expected to further achieve the
cooperation from the industry which was one of the points agreed to as
a part of Ulaan Bataar Declaration of Public-Private partnership on
addressing environmental crimes in June 2007.
As one of the major challenges for many countries in the obligations
to the Montreal Protocol, hydrochloroflurocarbon (HCFC) control is one
of the critical issues that need to be tackled. The border dialogue
will touch upon the role of Industry, in view of strengthened HCFC
control and HCFC trade.
Dr. Sita Ram Joshi, Director General, Nepal Bureau of Standards and
Metrology was speaking on behalf of the 6 countries, “This dialogue
will increase cross-border cooperation among Bangladesh, Bhutan,
China, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, as well as encourage the
development and the adoption of sub-regional solutions to the
monitoring of ODS traffic. It will certainly support the ODS phase-out
programmes in this sub-region”.
The main cause of stratospheric ozone depletion is the release of
chloroflurocarbons (CFCs), which have used for decades in the
manufacture and operation of refrigerators and air-conditioners among
others. The Montreal Protocol, signed by 193 countries has established
a progressive phasing out of CFCs, with interim agreements that
refined and widened the reach of legislation, to include a freezing of
production and consumption of HCFCs by 2013 in developing countries.
Both CFCs and HCFCs deplete the ozone layer (though to differing
degrees), and both are also potent global warming gases. The illegal
ODS trade holds back the replacement process of these chemicals by
effectively extending the operating life of the equipments being used.
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Atul Bagai
Regional Coordinator (Networking)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
2nd Floor, United Nations Building
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200
Tel: 66 2 288 1662
Fax: 66 2 280 3829
E-mail: ba...@un.org
Dr. Sita Ram Joshi
Director General
Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology
P.O. Box 985, Balaju
Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 977 1 4356810, 4356672
Fax: 977 1 4350689
E-mail: oz...@ntc.net.np
NOTES TO EDITORS:
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEP)
UNEP is the United Nations system’s designated entity for addressing
environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is
to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by
keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging
issues to the attention of governments and the international community
for action.
Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer is an
international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing
out the production and consumption of a number of substances believed
to be responsible for ozone depletion. The treaty was opened for
signature on September 16, 1987 and entered into force on January 1,
1989. Since then, it has undergone five revisions, in 1990 (London),
1992 (Copenhagen), 1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), and 1999 (Beijing).
Due to its widespread adoption and implementation it has been hailed
as an example of exceptional international cooperation "Perhaps the
single most successful international agreement to date...”
About the Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) of UNEP DTIE
UNEP as an Implementing Agency of the Multilateral Fund of the
Montreal Protocol has a unique regionalized programme that delivers
compliance assistance services to countries to assist them meet the
international commitments under the Protocol. The compliance regime
requires countries to: achieve and sustain compliance, promote a
greater sense of country ownership and implement the agreed Executive
Committee framework for strategic planning.
UNEP through the Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) has moved from
project management approach to a direct implementation initiative
through its specialized staff. Consistent with the above approach the
Regional Office for Asia and Pacific (ROAP) CAP team has developed to
be the centre for policy advice, compliance guidance and conduct
training to refrigeration technicians, customs officers and other
relevant stakeholders on compliance issues, promote bilateral and
multilateral cooperation and promote high-level awareness by utilizing
UNEP’s staff.
OzonAction Programme: www.unep.fr/ozonaction
Multilateral Fund: www.multilateral fund.org
Ozone Secretariat: www.ozone.unep.org
Publication: “Illegal Trade in Ozone Depleting Substances: Asia and
Pacific Region”
An assessment report on Illegal Trade in Ozone Depleting Substances in
Asia and Pacific region. It analyses the smuggling reasons, routes and
trends of ODS, and also presents the outcome of a desk study on trans-
boundary movement of ODS in the region. It could assist customs
officers, ozone officers and other enforcement officers in their work
to control trade in ODS.
tackle the environmental crime of illegal trade in ozone-depleting
substances (ODS), National Ozone Officers and Customs authorities from
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka will discuss and
share strategies on enforcement and information sharing mechanisms on
the control of ODS trade in a border dialogue facilitated by the
Compliance Assistance Programme of OzonAction Programme of United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) under the Multilateral Fund for
the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol and hosted by the
Government of Nepal on 23-24 October 2008 in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The illegal trade in ODS, has emerged as a significant global problem
for many years, especially in Asia. While much equipment still exists
in the region that is reliant on ODS, countries have committed to
reduce consumption and production of many chemicals in line with the
phase-out schedule dictated by the Montreal Protocol. This has led to
growing smuggling of these chemicals to satisfy demand from users,
which has hampered the take-up of alternative chemicals.
Some of the recent reports showed illegally traded and seized CFC-12
in China, HCFC-22 illegally traded across Bangladesh-India borders and
seized in India and CFC-12 illegally exported and seized in Thailand.
These seizures indicate that a combination of customs training,
cooperation between different government agencies and vigilance is a
potent weapon against this kind of environmental crime. Another lesson
learnt was that combating illegal trade requires sub-regional
cooperation between neighbouring countries. UNEP has been facilitating
information exchange, enforcement coordination, capacity building and
border dialogues since the year 2003.
“Unified international efforts will be the key to the prevention of
the environmental crime related to the trade in ODS” said Mr. Ganesh
Shah, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Nepal whiles in
operating the sub-regional border dialogue which he described as a
“Dialogue of Friendship”.
“Solving this crisis and minimizing its economic and industrial upshot
requires close cooperation among nations as well as industry
partnership in controlling illegal trade” said His Excellency
Ambassador of India to Nepal, Mr. Rakesh Sood.
Besides promoting cooperation among customs authorities and National
Ozone Officers, the dialogue is also expected to further achieve the
cooperation from the industry which was one of the points agreed to as
a part of Ulaan Bataar Declaration of Public-Private partnership on
addressing environmental crimes in June 2007.
As one of the major challenges for many countries in the obligations
to the Montreal Protocol, hydrochloroflurocarbon (HCFC) control is one
of the critical issues that need to be tackled. The border dialogue
will touch upon the role of Industry, in view of strengthened HCFC
control and HCFC trade.
Dr. Sita Ram Joshi, Director General, Nepal Bureau of Standards and
Metrology was speaking on behalf of the 6 countries, “This dialogue
will increase cross-border cooperation among Bangladesh, Bhutan,
China, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, as well as encourage the
development and the adoption of sub-regional solutions to the
monitoring of ODS traffic. It will certainly support the ODS phase-out
programmes in this sub-region”.
The main cause of stratospheric ozone depletion is the release of
chloroflurocarbons (CFCs), which have used for decades in the
manufacture and operation of refrigerators and air-conditioners among
others. The Montreal Protocol, signed by 193 countries has established
a progressive phasing out of CFCs, with interim agreements that
refined and widened the reach of legislation, to include a freezing of
production and consumption of HCFCs by 2013 in developing countries.
Both CFCs and HCFCs deplete the ozone layer (though to differing
degrees), and both are also potent global warming gases. The illegal
ODS trade holds back the replacement process of these chemicals by
effectively extending the operating life of the equipments being used.
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Atul Bagai
Regional Coordinator (Networking)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
2nd Floor, United Nations Building
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200
Tel: 66 2 288 1662
Fax: 66 2 280 3829
E-mail: ba...@un.org
Dr. Sita Ram Joshi
Director General
Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology
P.O. Box 985, Balaju
Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 977 1 4356810, 4356672
Fax: 977 1 4350689
E-mail: oz...@ntc.net.np
NOTES TO EDITORS:
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEP)
UNEP is the United Nations system’s designated entity for addressing
environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is
to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by
keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging
issues to the attention of governments and the international community
for action.
Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer is an
international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing
out the production and consumption of a number of substances believed
to be responsible for ozone depletion. The treaty was opened for
signature on September 16, 1987 and entered into force on January 1,
1989. Since then, it has undergone five revisions, in 1990 (London),
1992 (Copenhagen), 1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), and 1999 (Beijing).
Due to its widespread adoption and implementation it has been hailed
as an example of exceptional international cooperation "Perhaps the
single most successful international agreement to date...”
About the Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) of UNEP DTIE
UNEP as an Implementing Agency of the Multilateral Fund of the
Montreal Protocol has a unique regionalized programme that delivers
compliance assistance services to countries to assist them meet the
international commitments under the Protocol. The compliance regime
requires countries to: achieve and sustain compliance, promote a
greater sense of country ownership and implement the agreed Executive
Committee framework for strategic planning.
UNEP through the Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) has moved from
project management approach to a direct implementation initiative
through its specialized staff. Consistent with the above approach the
Regional Office for Asia and Pacific (ROAP) CAP team has developed to
be the centre for policy advice, compliance guidance and conduct
training to refrigeration technicians, customs officers and other
relevant stakeholders on compliance issues, promote bilateral and
multilateral cooperation and promote high-level awareness by utilizing
UNEP’s staff.
OzonAction Programme: www.unep.fr/ozonaction
Multilateral Fund: www.multilateral fund.org
Ozone Secretariat: www.ozone.unep.org
Publication: “Illegal Trade in Ozone Depleting Substances: Asia and
Pacific Region”
An assessment report on Illegal Trade in Ozone Depleting Substances in
Asia and Pacific region. It analyses the smuggling reasons, routes and
trends of ODS, and also presents the outcome of a desk study on trans-
boundary movement of ODS in the region. It could assist customs
officers, ozone officers and other enforcement officers in their work
to control trade in ODS.
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