United Nations Environment Programme

Job Title:  Head, OzonAction Branch, D1
Department/Office: United Nations Environment Programme
Location:  Paris
Posting Period: 29 November 2011 - 27 February 2012
Job Opening number:  11-ADM-UN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME-21516-R-PARIS
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The HCFC-phaseout in China is impacting chemical production, foam, industrial and commercial refrigeration, air conditioners, refrigeration servicing and solvent sectors, whose total output amounts to billions of Renminbi and will involve tens of thousands of enterprises and millions of workers.  Read more.

 

UNEP, in collaboration with the World Customs Organization, has created an  e-learning module for Customs officers to assist in fulfilling their role in phasing out ozone depleting substances under the Montreal Protocol.
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The 9th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP9) to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer 23rd Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP23), Bali, Indonesia, 21-25 November 2011. Click  here to read more about UNEP OzonAction side events at MOP 23. | UNEP press release (21 November 2011):  2 Degree Celsius Climate Target at Risk from Ozone-Friendly Replacement Chemicals |  UNEP report:  HFCs: A Critical Link in Protecting Climate and the Ozone Layer 
 

The OzonAction Special Issue features articles from international experts on many important issues including those discussed during the Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol. The topics addressed in the OASI 2011 aim at inspiring further actions to protect the ozone layer and climate system, as well as contributing to promoting ‘green energy initiatives’...  Read more

 

Pursuant to the ECA Work Programme 2011-2012 developed at the ECA Nework Meeting in Belgrade, Serbia on 10-13 May 2011 the Thematic meeting on HPMP, certification & log-books for accession countries took place in Budapest, Hungary, 19-21 October 2011.   Read more. 

Africa with Zimbabwe included has been commended for the successful efforts to comply with the Montreal Protocol in phasing out ozone-depleting substances which are posing a threat to the world. This was said in Harare at the opening of the 15th Joint Ozone-Depleting Substances Officers Network Meeting for African Countries (ODSONET), which will be hosted by Zimbabwe this year. Read more. 

Pokhara, 17 October 2011 – Government Officers from over 25 Asia-Pacific countries have all flown to Pokhara, Nepal to convene for the Joint Network Meeting of South Asia and Southeast Asia and the Pacific Ozone Officers from today until October 19. This meeting, organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (UNEP-ROAP) under its Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP), provides a platform where ozone officers from Asia-Pacific governments discuss policy, strategy, and progress of action plans to enable countries in the region to comply with obligations to phase out ozone-depleting substances (ODS) following an agreed timetable under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Read more
 

Male, 21 October 2011 – Prominent Chinese artist and UNEP Patron for Arts and Environment, Mr. Yuan Xikun, has joined the world’s fight against ozone depletion and climate change as he announced his new project – to make a giant sculpture of the Ancient Chinese Goddess Nuva from sand from five continents of the world and water from the two Arctic poles as a call for the urgent need to protect the ozone layer and combat climate change.  Read more
 

100% phase out of CFCs and other ozone-damaging chemicals

Pokhara, 18 October 2011 – Twenty-four Asia-Pacific countries were recognized and conferred the Montreal Protocol Recognition Award yesterday evening for compliance to the ozone-depleting substances (ODS) phase-out targets for 1 January 2010 set under the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.  Read more

 

Kathmandu, 13 October 2011– Today, government representatives from eight countries in Asia-Pacific have come together in this Himalayan capital to commence an intensive three-day capacity building program for new government officers in the Asia and the Pacific Region who are responsible for managing their national programmes to comply with the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (“National Ozone Officers” or “NOOs”). Read more
 

BAMAKO, 11 octobre (Xinhua) -- Une rencontre internationale sur le thème « Education à la couche d'ozone et découverte des propriétés chimiques de l'eau » se tient du 11 au 13 octobre 2011 à Bamako.

Elle est conjointement organisée par l'UNESCO en collaboration avec l'ISESCO (Institut pour l'éducation, les sciences et la Culture) et en partenariat avec le Programme des Nations Unies pour l'Environnement (PNUE).  Read more...

 Rencontre internationale sur la protection de la couche d' ozone
 Environnement : L'Unesco sensibilise
 Réseau et Clubs ISESCO : Formation des coordinateurs nationaux des écoles associées
 Les experts des clubs Isesco en conclave en Bamako

 

Thimphu/Bangkok, 30 September 2011 –The Royal Government of Bhutan, known worldwide as the architect of the philosophy of Gross National Happiness, committed to protect the ozone layer as Royal Bride-to-be, Jetsun Pema, launched the country’s HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP). Bhutan made a historic commitment to phase out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which are both ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and powerful greenhouse gases (GHGs), ten years ahead of the Montreal Protocol schedule.  Read more
 

Government representatives and Ozone Officers from West Asia countries had debated the Ozone Depletion Substances related regulations in a workshop organized jointly by UNEP’s OzonAction Regional Office for West Asia and UAE Ministry of Environment & Water. 
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Ningbo, 19 September 2011- Sixty senior Chinese Customs officers gathered today in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, to take part in the first national Green Customs Workshop in China, a four-day event providing awareness-raising and training on combating the illegal trade of environmentally-sensitive commodities.  Read more
 

The international community adopted the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer to protect the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. In more than 24 years of successful implementation, the Protocol has been gradually strengthened to cover the phase-out of nearly 100 ozone-depleting substances. The latest adjustments were adopted in 2007 to accelerate the phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons, or HCFCs.  (Arabic │Chinese │English │ French │Spanish │Russian) |  UNEP OzonAction Ozone Day website |  UNEP Press Release (16 September 2011): Has the problem of the ozone hole been solved?
 

While the ozone hole has been considered by some as a solved problem, in fact its recovery is still many decades away and the effects and interactions of ozone depletion on climate change are just starting to be understood. This short film seeks out explanations and answers from the scientists closest to the issue.

 

In the wider context of UNEP's Green Economy Initiative, OzonAction and the Economy & Trade Branch commissioned a report on the range of economic, social, environmental and institutional co-benefits of 25 years of Montreal Protocol implementation. The key findings will be presented during the roundtable discussion on "Montreal Protocol contribution to Green Economy" during the ministerial conference Environment for Europe in Astana, Kazakhstan, 21-23 September 2011. These lessons learnt have also been reflected in the Montreal Protocol Green Economy Quiz - try and test your knowledge ... and feel free to invite your friends and colleagues to do the same. The quiz:  English  |  Russian 

On the occasion of the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, 16th September, the theme of which for this year is: ‘HCFC phase-out a unique opportunity’, UNEP is pleased to  announce the release of a new report  entitled: Risk Assessment on Illegal Trade in HCFCs. This report provides a summary of recent cases of illegal trade in HCFCs and the policy measures in place to combat smuggling of ozone depleting chemicals.  Download report

 

5 September 2011 - The Department of Environment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), organized a Ceremonial and Awareness Meeting on the Transition to CFC-Free Metered Dose Inhalers (MDI) Products on 5 September 2011 in Tehran.  Read more

Related:
 UN helps Iran phase out asthma treatments based on ozone-depleting substances
 

Bangkok, Thailand, 19 August 2011 – In UNEP’s effort to raise awareness among the military on ozone protection and the phase out of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), its Compliance Assistance Program (CAP) facilitated a three-day visit of defence officers from the India to the Indonesian Halon Bank (IHB) from 8 to 11 August 2011 in Indonesia. Read more 

23 August 2011 - The National Ozone Unit, Energy Division, Ministry of Finance, in its continued implementation of Grenada's Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) under the Montreal protocol on Substances that Deplete the ozone layer, has a organized a training workshop for customs officers in the Monitoring and Control of Trade in Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS). Read more 

23 August 2011 - Signs of ozone depletion are again appearing over the Antarctic, the United Nations reported today, adding that prevailing temperatures and polar stratospheric clouds indicate that the degree of ozone loss this year will most likely be about average in comparison to the past decade. Read more

 

20 August 2011— Fluorinated hydrocarbons are potent greenhouse gases, emission of which must be reduced under the Kyoto Protocol. If you rely on the official reports of the participating countries, the output of trifluoromethane (HFC-23) in Western Europe is indeed significantly decreasing. Read more 

Kyrgystan, August 18, 2011- Kyrgyzstan National Ozone Unit has completed their Awareness Initiative which had the objective to discourage small scale smuggling of ODS by private persons. Read more  Summary report
 

The Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (OEWG 31) takes place from 1-5 August 2011, in Montréal, Canada, at the headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization. Two proposals for amendments to the Montreal Protocol are expected to be discussed.  IISD Reporting Services  Pre-session documents Side Events (including launch of UNEP new report: Risk Assessment of HCFCs in Illegal Trade) 

Delegates at the 64th meeting of the Executive Committee for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol in Montreal, 25-29 July 2011, paid tribute to Mr. Rajendra Shende, Head of the OzonAction Programme, for his long and successful career assisting Article 5 Parties to the Montreal Protocol.
Read more 

Nairobi, Kenya, 11 July 2011- Despite its late start, Angola takes a big leap forward as the UN treaty Depositary recently announced receipt of ratification documents for all the Amendments to the Montreal protocol on the protection of the Ozone layer in one go. 

The ratification of all the Amendments to the Montreal Protocol will now clear the way for Angola to get all the assistance from the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol to get the remaining phase out of HCFCs and Methyl Bromide done in time. Read more
 

 
For the first time UNEP has held a ‘brainstorming symposium’ involving High Court Judges, Prosecutors and a range of other experts to discuss the means to better address the issue smuggling of ozone depleting substances (ODS). The symposium held on the  9-10 June 2011 in Paris was hosted by the OzonAction Branch of the United Nations Environment Programme Division of Technology, Industry and Economics and held in cooperation with UNEP Division of Environmental Law and Conventions (DELC). Read more

 

Some African countries have reported recent cases of illegal trade in Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) shipped from the Gulf Coast. During a meeting arranged by the UNEP OzonAction Programme’s Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) through the Regional Office of Africa for 24 English speaking and Portuguese speaking countries participants were made aware of the ODS smuggling from presentations by delegates from Gambia and Sudan. Read more |   African countries embark on HCFC phase out with total support for iPIC 

In the glittering ceremony with the background Seychelleoise music, three creative journalists from Africa were awarded for their work media talents in the field of Ozone Layer Protection and Climate Change. The newspaper article, “Ban on old fridges starts biting as NEMA swoops in”, written by Mr. Gerald Tenywa from Uganda, won the first place. Read more 

In presence of the Health Minister of Seychelles, Dr. Erna Athanasius, the African regional meeting participated by 24 countries was declared open today by Didier Dogley, Principle Secretary, Ministry of Environment. “This is the treaty that never fails to deliver”, said Mr. Dogley referring to the Montreal Protocol that now is considered by many as the most successful environment treaty ever. Read more |   Zambia has ushered in new environmental law |   Gambia states that Customs training helped the country |   African countries accelerate efforts to phase out HCFCs  |   African countries embark on HCFC phase out with total support for iPIC 

Leading authorities in refrigeration and air conditioning highlighted the need to strengthen and enforce existing regulations for fluorinated greenhouse gases. Yet, meeting environmental targets for green house gas emissions will also require end users to be educated and involved in taking responsibility for their refrigeration units. Read more 

Indian and Chinese officials met in New Delhi during 23-26 May 2011 to seek for the best solutions to ensure smooth transition from CFC-based Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIs), used in asthma patients to CFC-free MDIs. Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are considered significant health problems across the Globe. It is estimated that this disease affects over 300 million people worldwide and the death toll has been estimated at 250,000. Read more 

Mr. Rajendra Shende, Head of OzonAction, UNEP presented a trophy and a certificate to the winner of the 8th World Television Award, Ms. Vanessa Fisher of Deutsche Welle TV from Germany who produced the film "Energy Efficient Refrigerators in Brazil". This is the first time that UNEP OzonAction collaborated with Asia Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) and the partners to organize the World Television Award with the theme on ozone layer protection and safeguarding the global climate system. Read more 

Partnership Supported by UNEP Wins Prestigious Harvard Kennedy School 2011 Roy Family Award 
See photos |  Press release 

Kuwait City, 18th May 2011. Do we have to pay energy penalty while implementing the last challenge of the Montreal Protocol that aims to protect the Ozone Layer? This was the question at the core of the symposium and discussion concluded in Kuwait City on 18th May 2011. Read more |  See photos 

From 8-12 May 2011, the Ozone2Climate Technology Road Show, the first showcase of technological alternatives to ozone depleting substance (ODS) in South East Asia, took place in the Maldives. Alongside, also took place an Industry Roundtable on Climate and Ozone- Friendly technologies in refregeration and air conditioning in Serbia (10-11 May). If you want to know more about our "ozone and climate friendly  technology" week
Click here 

Moving Towards Sustainable Agricultue 
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Funding to Phase-out HCFCs in 39 Countries to Safeguard the Ozone Layer and Mitigate Climate Change
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The Report of the Twenty-Second Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer held in Bangkok, Thailand from 8-12 November 2010 - Now available in six UN languages from UNEP Ozone Secretariat website (A C E F R S) 

 

The 14^th European Conference on The Latest Technologies in Renewable Energy, Heating and Cooling Applications

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Screening of short films delivering powerful messages about making the planet safe from harmful substances and hazardous wastes. Includes short films produced by UNEP OzonAction. Olympus Theater, Malé, Republic of Maldives, 27-29 January 2011. See event photos. read more ...

The following new authoritative reports are now available to you from the UNEP Ozone Secretariat website - thanks to the group of world renown scientists and experts involved in the preparation.
Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2010, by the Scientific Assessment Panel (SAP);
Environmental Effects of Ozone Depletion and Its Interactions with Climate Change: 2010 Assessment, by the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP); and
Questions and Answers about the Environmental Effects of the Ozone Layer Depletion and Climate Change: 2010 Update, by the EEAP. 

Cooling without warming - How to contribute to the protection of the ozone layer and promote greater climate benefits - AIBD launches a new World Television Award category on Science & Environment in collaboration with UNEP OzonAction. The World Television Award is open to all broadcasters in Asia, Pacific, Europe, Africa, and North America from public, private sector and freelance producers. Closing date: 1 April 2011.  Criteria |  Entry Form