This year this event is celebrated under the slogan: Ozone Layer Protection – the Mission Goes On. On September 16 a press-conference dedicated to celebration of the International Ozone Day was held in the Poytakht business center.

This event was co-hosted by the State Committee for Nature Protection of the Republic of Uzbekistan, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Global Environmental Facility. This event was attended by the officials of the ministries, agencies, public and private sector of Uzbekistan, international organizations, and the media.

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is recognized as the most effective multilateral environmental treaty ever implemented. It is an outstanding example of successful international cooperation and partnership in protection of the universal good and the international community. Today in the process of implementation of the Montreal Protocol, there are success stories in phasing-out ozone-depleting substances (ODS). Thanks to global phase-out of ozone-depleting gases in the households, industries, and agriculture, the ozone layer is recovering, and according to the estimates, it will fully recover by the middle of the century. This was announced in the new study prepared by the experts of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Nevertheless, there are some persisting challenges related to phase-out of the substances that deplete the ozone layer. The theme of this year is focused on engaging all stakeholders to boost their efforts to address existing challenges to protect the atmosphere, encourage more innovation in different sectors of industrial manufacturing, design more efficient, energy-efficient and environmentally safe technologies, which do not cause the depletion of the ozone layer and climate change.

Since 1993 Uzbekistan has been a Party to the Montreal Protocol and has complied with it. As of today, 99.95% of ODS have been phased-out, which is ahead of the schedule planned by the Montreal Protocol.

The global initiative focused on reducing the production and use of ozone-depleting substances and protecting the thin ozone layer of the Earth was reflected in the Initial Implementation of Accelerated HCFC Phase-out in the CEIT Region, the joint project of the State Committee for Nature Protection of the Republic of Uzbekistan, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Global Environmental Facility (GEF).

Ultimate Goal of the Project. Facilitate preparation for implementation of focused legislative and regulatory changes and subsequent investment programs to support reduction of dependence from the imports of ozone-depleting substances in Uzbekistan and to ensure that the country can fulfill the responsibilities undertaken according to the decision of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Accelerated Phase-out of Ozone-depleting Substances. In the course of the project, the regional and national components will be implemented along with specific efforts for control of imports of HCFCs and equipment that uses HCFCs and regulate demand for HCFCs.

The regional component will support the country in exchanging best experiences with the governments of other countries in this region and thus enable improvement of approaches to management of HCFCs on national level.

The national component will be dedicated to building up the capacity of public and private sectors to gradually reduce their dependence on imports of HCFCs by delivering modern equipment to extract and recycle HCFCs and improve the practices of maintenance of refrigeration equipment and air conditioning systems for more effective operation and refurbishment of the systems, low level of leaks and improved energy efficiency.

Implementation of pilot alternative technologies using local cooling agents such as hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, ammonia, etc. by modernizing or replacing existing equipment in miscellaneous sub-sectors to maintain commercial and industrial equipment for refrigeration and air conditioning equipment of transport sector will enable to reduce the barriers related to the recognition and use of these technologies on national level (accessibility, operation, modernization costs, etc.) and enable energy-efficiency. These pilot projects will encourage greater technical modernization of our country.

Another project focused on disposal of ODS will enable to remove outdated ODS and their waste as well as the ODS and their products prohibited for imports, which were confiscated by the customs officers. Disposal of ODS waste will also offer benefits to resolve the problem of climate change by reducing the ODS emitted into the atmosphere.

On International Day for Preservation of the Ozone Layer, which is being held this year under the slogan Ozone Layer Protection – Mission Goes On, all participants noted that the efforts for protection of the ozone layer continues and called on everyone present to actively participate in this mission. Joint protection of the ozone layer is about creating favorable environment for future generation. This was mentioned in the message of the UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon, who called on the governments, industry, civil society and other partners to enthusiastically resolve all serious environmental and public challenges of our times.