Maldives is Walking the Talk; Deriving Climate Benefits from Ozone Layer Protection

[ozoneorbit]

Male, 10 June 2010- Today, President Mohamed Nasheed, the Vice
President and a number of ministers from the Maldives announced an
important Joint Declaration for the Implementation of the HCFC Phase
out Management Plan (HPMP) during the inauguration of the High-Level
Roundtable Dialogue on HPMP and its contribution on Carbon Neutrality.

HCFCs have been utilized as substitutes for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
for use in refrigeration, including air-conditioning units,
refrigerators and various types of manufacturing processes. HCFCs not
only destroy the stratospheric ozone layer which is essential to life
on Earth but they are also greenhouse gases. In 2007, international
community took an important step for accelerated phase-out of HCFCs.

Early this year, the Maldives has made a historic decision to phase
out HCFCs by 2020, in line with its carbon neutrality policy, 20 years
ahead of the Montreal Protocol phase out schedule.

“The Maldives has become the first country in the world to receive the
funding from the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the
Montreal Protocol for the country’s HPMP. This demonstrates to the
world that Small Island States can also be at the frontline in the
battle against climate change and the protection of the ozone layer”
said Ms. Maria Nolan, Chief Officer of the Multilateral Fund for the
Implementation of the Montreal Protocol.

The Maldives has committed to phase out the consumption of HCFCs,
mainly used in the air conditioning in its nearly 100 tourist resorts
spread in its more than 1200 islands.
In this process, relevant Ministries in the country, including the
Ministry of Trade, Customs, Tourism, Attorney General and Fisheries,
as well as various national stakeholders have agreed to commit and
collaborate in the implementation of the plan.

“We believe that going green isn’t just ecologically sound but also
economically beneficial. The Maldives is famed for its luxury resorts,
whose refrigeration systems are the source of most of the country’s
HCFC emissions. Moving early to phase out the use of HCFCs over the
next decade, not only helps protect the beautiful tropical environment
tourists come to see but also positions Maldives as a strong eco-
destination” said President Nasheed.
Today, high-level officials from the Maldives and the United Nations,
along with high commissioners from India and various national
stakeholders discussed about the mechanism and the way forward in
expediting the implementation of the HCFC phase out plan.

“This dialogue gave us the opportunity to brainstorm about the
implementation mechanism, including the policy and legislations,
private sector’s involvement, energy efficiency benefit, as well as
how to put HCFC phase-out at an appropriate place in the Carbon
neutrality policy of the Maldives” said Mr. Javier Camago, Chairman of
the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund.

The Maldives’ HPMP is the world’s first national phase out plan which
specifically targets this group of chemicals. With its overarching
structure, it covers different sectors and stakeholders in the
country, including the media. As part of the plan, the Maldives also
organized a media workshop to raise media’s awareness on HCFC phase
out issues on 9 June 2010.
“The Montreal Protocol’s success has shown that we now know that
together we can address climate challenges through technology support
and capacity building efforts. What we need now is leadership to get
further climate benefits from the ozone layer protection. I am pleased
that Maldives is demonstrating that leadership role” said Mr. Achim
Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UNEP.