United Nations Ozone Action Program Wins U.S. Government Prize
Environment News Service
May 4 2005
WASHINGTON, DC, May 4, 2005 (ENS) – A United Nations program has
won the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Stratospheric
Ozone Protection Award for the first time in the 14 year history of
the prize.
The award will be presented tonight at a ceremony in Washington to a
specialized branch of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
that helps enable governments and industry in developing countries
comply with the Montreal Protocol by phasing out substances that
deplete the ozone layer.
The OzonAction Branch of UNEP~Rs Division of Technology, Industry and
Economics based in Paris is the award winning UNEP branch honored by
the EPA prize.
Announcing the award, the EPA praised the ~Sleadership and innovation”
of the OzonAction Programme and said it has benefited more than 140
countries “through its unique regional networks of National Ozone
Units and global information clearinghouse.~T
Rajendra Shende, head of the OzonAction branch said, ~SThe award
reminds us of what can be achieved when the commitment of the poorest
nations to protect the Earth for future generations is combined with
the resolve of the richest countries to do their part for peace,
prosperity and environmental health.”
“What you get are amazing global success stories that go beyond
conventional thoughts and immensely benefit humanity,~T Shende said.
Head of OzonAction Rajendra Shende at the 15th Meeting of the Parties
to the Montreal Protocol in Nairobi, Kenya. November 2003. (Photo
courtesy Earth Negotiations Bulletin) The ozone layer, which absorbs
ultraviolet radiation harmful to living organisms and human health,
is in danger from several chemicals currently used in industry and
agriculture such as refrigerant chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs); fire
suppressent halons; the cleaning and degreasing chemicals carbon
tetrachloride and methyl chloroform; and the soil fumigant methyl
bromide. Governments establish national ozone units, usually within
the environment or other natural resources ministry, to coordinate a
plan for phasing out these and other ozone depleting substances. The
national ozone units also serve as nodes for communication with the
implementing agencies and the Ozone and Multilateral Fund Secretariats.
Recognizing that developing countries require special technical and
financial assistance in order to meet their commitments, the Parties
to the Montreal Protocol established the Multilateral Fund. UNEP, the
UN Development Programme, the UN Industrial Development Organization,
and the World Bank are the Fund’s implementing agencies. Over 12 years,
nearly US$2 billion has been disbursed to 145 developing countries
to enable them to comply with the protocol.
Klaus Toepfer, UNEP executive director, said, ~SThe appreciation of
the award panel highlighting UNEP~Rs leadership and innovation is
not only rewarding but also encouraging for our further work.”
~SThe Montreal Protocol is succeeding in its objective of phasing out
the global production and consumption of ozone depleting substances,”
he said, “but there is still much work left to be done, particularly
in developing countries.”
The OzonAction branch works closely with developing countries to
help them meet their obligations under the protocol and make informed
decisions about alternative technologies.
In February, India’s Air Force decided to phase out ozone-depleting
halons used for fire fighting. The OzonAction Programme staff helped
the Air Force to find alternative fire suppression substances where
they are available and establish a halon management system where
there are no alternatives.
Late last year Armenia’s phaseout plan took effect,
and the OzonAction Programme assembled a Contact Group
“Armenia-Georgia-Kyrgyzstan-UNEP-UNDP” which gathered in Yerevan to
help Armenia prepare for the challenges ahead. Funded by the Global
Environment Facility, Armenia will now establish a national ozone
unit and launch the approved projects while complying with control
measures for ozone-depleting substances under the Montreal Protocol.
The OzonAction Information Clearinghouse service provides technical,
policy and scientific information on a wide range of phaseout issues
including:
alternative technologies, products and services for each industrial
use sector directories of experts, consultants and key ozone protection
focal points worldwide technical literature abstracts and information
for ordering documents descriptions of national policies, legislation,
regulations and programs to phase out ozone depleting substances
listings of ozone protection events such as workshops, conferences
and meetings news on the latest phaseout initiatives public awareness
materials, including videos and posters Handheld fire extinguishers
containing halocarbon streaming agents that can replace ozone-depleting
halon are now commercially available. But there are concerns about
the effects of halon replacements and their toxic by-products on human
health. (Photo courtesy National Research Council Canada) In declaring
this award, the EPA said OzonAction’s “innovative mechanisms” like
the first business-to-business web portal to trade banked halons,
and leveraging the expertise of nongovernmental organizations to
raise public awareness have enabled “cost-effective elimination” of
ozone depleters. In addition, OzonAction has established the only
international program to educate and support customs officers and
border police to prevent illegal trade in ozone-depleting substances.
~SThe treaty is bearing fruits,~T said Shende. ~SAccording to the best
scientific knowledge the chemicals that have been destroying the ozone
layer are now at or near peak, and could begin to dissipate slowly –
if nations stay the course.~T
Participation in the effort is almost universal with 189 countries
having ratified the Montreal Protocol, and the treaty is being
recognized as a rare multilateral success story. In his recent report
entitled, ~SIn Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and
Human Rights for All,~T UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, described
the Montreal Protocol as an ~Sencouraging example showing how global
solutions can be found.~T
“A key factor in the success to date has been financial resources
provided to help implement the protocol,” said Toepfer. “In this
regard, it is important that one of the key mechanisms underpinning
the treaty, the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), is adequately
replenished this year. This will help ensure that we finish the job,
not only for ozone, but also for other global environmental treaties,”
he said
In 1990, EPA established the Stratospheric Ozone Protection Awards to
recognize exceptional leadership, personal dedication, and technical
achievements in protecting the Earth~Rs stratospheric ozone layer. In
the first 14 years, The Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award has
been presented to 477 individuals, organizations and teams from
40 countries.
The award will be presented tonight at the Hotel Washington
in conjunction with the EPA Climate Protection Awards, given to
corporations, governments and individuals to recognize exceptional
leadership, personal dedication, and technical achievements in
protecting the Earth’s climate.