United Nations Environment Programme

Significant strides have been made towards the Millennium Development Goals, yet reaching all the goals by the 2015 deadline remains challenging, as the world's poorest are being left behind, according to the MDG Report 2011, the UN's annual progress report. "The MDGs have helped lift millions of people out of poverty, save countless children's lives and ensure that they attend school," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. "At the same time, we still have a long way to go in empowering women and girls, promoting sustainable development, and protecting the most vulnerable." Read the press materials here.

The UN Millennium Development Goals Report 2011was launched in Geneva on 7 July 2011. Goal 7 Part - Ensure environmental sustainability made mention of the Montreal Protocol. Indeed, The Montreal Protocol is not only helping to restore the ozone layer, but to curb climate change. "The Montreal Protocol is an undisputed—but still unfinished—success story. Much more work remains to be done to ensure the protection of the ozone layer for this and future generations. Still, what the parties to the Protocol have managed to accomplish since 1987 is unprecedented, providing an example of what international cooperation at its best can achieve. As of end-2009, the consumption of 98 per cent of all ozone-depleting substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol had been phased out. Global observations have verified that atmospheric concentrations of such substances are declining. With full implementation of the Protocol’s provisions, the ozone layer is expected to return to its pre-1980 levels around the middle of this century. The Protocol has also delivered substantial climate benefits, since ozone-depleting substances are also global-warming gases. The reduction in such substances between 1990, when they reached peak levels, and 2000 has yielded a net reduction of about 25 billion tonnes equivalent of CO2-weighted global- warming gasses."

In light of recent and future legislation likely to encourage the use of natural refrigerants, the European organisation of Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration and Heat Pump Contractors (AREA), has issued a guidance paper outlining the basic competences that contractors should have when dealing with low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants such as hydrocarbons. According to AREA refrigeration contractors dealing with hydrocarbons should pay particular attention to safety issues and the need to use specific tools when installing and servicing such systems. Basic competences include criteria such as: avoid contact with sparks of fire or to carefully position thermostats in fridges to avoid ignition in case of leaks.

For more information, click here.

MEPs have postponed a vote on whether or not Europe should toughen its climate targets and move to a 30 per cent emissions reduction target by 2020. The commission has set a target of cutting CO2 emissions by 20 per cent compared to 1990 levels by the end of this decade but many MEPs have been pressing for this to be increased to 30 per cent. Some MEPs had warned that failure to vote for a 30 per cent emissions reduction would undermine the EU's reputation as a leading voice in the fight against global warming. Supporters of the move to raise ambitions from the current 20 per cent reduction target argue that it will guide investment decisions crucial to the development of low carbon energy production and the growth of the green economy. Climate talks in Europe will continue in the coming months. On 11 July, environment ministers meet in Poland to discuss a European commission assessment on sharing the costs and benefits of increased climate action.

Mahe, Seychelles 23 June 2011- 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. Most of the smuggling cases presented were attempted to be imported by mislabeling the chemicals as non-controlled commodities. The customs officers were able to seize the shipments since they have been provided with training, are aware of the relevant licensing systems and are equipped with ODS identifiers. It was reported that shipments of cylinders labeled as R-134a (a non-ozone depleting alterative) in fact contained CFC-12 and in some cases mixture of several gases also including HCFC.

Milan, 10 June 2011. By Dr Ian Tennant.  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.Nearly 200 delegates from over 23 countries across Europe, the United States, South Korea, India and Japan gathered in Milan for the second installment of the 14th European Conference on Renewable Energy and Heating.  The conference, which was organized by the Centro Studi Galileo, European Energy Centre, UNEP, IIR and TERRE focused heavily on the latest technologies in refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) and setting an economically and environmentally sustainable vision for the industry.

The head of OzonAction Branch of United Nations Environment Programme, Mr Shende, who chaired the conference said, “The destiny of refrigeration and air conditioning industry lies in forging a sustainable business model that cares for the environment.”  During his speech Mr Shende called to mind Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy about how beliefs and thoughts guide our habits, values and ultimately our destiny. “The RAC industry is starting a new journey amidst legislative threats. But on the way new job creation and other low-hanging fruits offer exceptional opportunities for a truly Green Economy.  Those opportunities should be part of our value system.” Yet, Didier Coulomb of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) stressed the importance of making careful choices when selecting new environmentally friendly technologies, “The selection of refrigerants needs to be linked to an energy efficient solution”. This was met with agreement by Marco Buoni, Vice President of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration European Association (AREA), “AREA’s members are uniquely placed to give expert, but unbiased advice about the use of various refrigerants.  We know that CO2 and other natural refrigerants are good for northern climates and supermarkets but they are not much use in Italy, Portugal or Spain.” Mr Buoni also called for more training of technicians and other staff handling natural refrigerants and not only HFCs, “the UK is trying to roll out a rapid changeover from HFC to CO2 use because of political pressure, but the industry simply doesn’t have enough competent, fully trained field engineers to install, service and maintain them.”

Many speakers, including the European Commission, expressed disappointment about the lack of implementation of ‘certification of personnel’ regulations in Italy, which is leading to a distortion of the EU market.  European Commission DG Climate Action, Lucia Antonini, about the future review of the F-gas regulation said  “If necessary, we will see upgrade and/or strengthen of existing legislation through clarification and enhancement of its effectiveness and efficiency”, she also said that this could be foreseen ”to anticipate future developments by ensuring compatibility with potential international commitments for HFCs, in particular under the Montreal Protocol”. By implementing such changes along with increased involvement of end-users in directing the industry and helping to maintain units, it may be possible to achieve the ‘Systems Thinking’ approach which Professor Susan Roaf of Edinburgh Heriot-Watt University of Edinburgh sees as an essential design principle for the future, “We must work together in strategic partnerships where the effect of each part of the industry, including the training needs of installers is considered in relationship to the health of the whole industry and our environment”.

(Bonn, 17 June 2011)-  Speaking on the final day of the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, the UNs climate change chief said that the negotiations had made clear advances on key issues and were also identifying areas that will require high-level political leadership ahead of the annual conference in Durban.

 The Central political question that has crystallized during this session is how further emission reduction commitments by developed countries can be taken forward in the broader context of the emerging climate change regime,î said United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres.  Referring to the link between negotiations on mitigation under the UN Climate Change Convention and mitigation under the Kyoto Protocol, she said: Governments are realising that this link needs to be dealt with to get to a global solution and that will require high-level leadership during the year. Read More... 

From 20 to 23 June 2011, the Ozone Officers Network for English-speaking Africa are meeting in Mahé, Seychelles.

The Ozone Officers Network for English-speaking Africa includes 26 countries - Angola, Botswana, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Special assistance continues to be provided to two Portuguese-speaking countries in the Network (Angola and Mozambique) mainly through special sessions/meetings/group discussions as well as through the involvement of Portugal during the meetings.

The Network is facilitated by the Compliance Assistance Programme team based in Nairobi, Kenya consisting of the Regional Network Coordinator (RNC), Policy and Enforcement Officer (PEO), the Refrigerant Management Plan (RMP) Officer and the Methyl Bromide Officer. The team provides all the CAP services to the region. In this region, all the Implementing Agencies (IAs) of the Multilateral Fund - UNEP, UNIDO, UNDP and the World Bank as well as bilateral partners - France and Germany operate.

To learn more about the Ozone Officers Network for English-speaking Africa. Click here.

The Finnish Customs Services in Vaalimaa in cooperation with the Finnish Environment Institute recently reported a seizure of more than 15 tons of R22 – a hydroclorofluorocarbon (HCFC) used as refrigerant and foam blowing agent. R22 is an ozone-depleting and global warming gas whose production, consumption and trade are strictly controlled under the Montreal Protocol and by European Union regulations.

On 27th of February 2011 a truck coming from Latvia tried to cross – allegedly by accident - the Vaalimaa Customs checkpoint in Eastern Finland which is the primary customs and border-crossing between the European Union and the Russian Federation. Because of the suspicious behavior, the truck was scanned (see photos) and 1150 refrigerant cylinders of 13,6 kg each detected – in total 15,64 tons. The cylinders and their packaging were labeled R22 and hidden behind a cover cargo of glass- and ceramic ornaments and other decorative products. The analysis at the Customs Laboratory confirmed that the cylinders actually contained R22. The R22 cylinders were mis-declared and did not show any serial numbers. The goods have been seized and will eventually be destroyed. Investigations concerning the origin of the chemicals and the people involved in this smuggling case are ongoing.

Several other investigations concerning ozone-depleting substances are currently ongoing:

• Shipment of 14,8 tons of R22 originating from China which arrived in Koper, Slovenia (EU) end of April 2011 for re-export to Serbia without valid export / import licenses.
• Seizure of 39 tons of R12 originating from China and seized by Customs in Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation end of 2010 without valid export / import licenses.
• As part of WCO’s global operation Sky-Hole-Patching II in 2010, several seizures were reported by European & Central Asian countries including Armenia (240 kg of R502), France (44 tons of HCFCs), Poland (14 kg of R22), Sweden (472 pieces of equipment) and Uzbekistan (736 kg of different refrigerants and 26 pieces of equipment).

Congratulations to the Finnish Customs Service in Vaalimaa for their vigilance and alertness and their contribution to protect the ozone layer, climate, human health, ecosystems etc.

1995 signalled the end of the use of CFC‘s as refrigerants. In 1991, four years ahead of the ban all Huber systems were built without CFC‘s and also without R22, which was later banned in 2000. As a result Huber customers were the first to buy machines that reached -120°C, fully Chlorine free which did not damage the Ozone layer. Building on this Huber developed bespoke temperature control systems, in accordance with the global K6 directive from Roche, which requires that chillers are HCFC, HFC & PFC free. Now the entire Huber range is offered with natural refrigerants as an option or as standard.

Natural refrigerants are only one aspect of an environmentally friendly solution. Huber systems are fitting with an energy management system which means that energy consumption is kept to a minimum with no waste. Their highly efficient energy conversion from electrical power to temperature control and the speed and accuracy of Huber systems further saves resources, time and money, resulting in increased productivity. With a Huber chiller consumption of water, one of nature’s most precious resources can be reduced to zero. In addition to this, the materials used in manufacturing are stainless steel, copper and high grade polymers, all of which are recyclable.

For Huber, the eradication of CFC‘s is good but not sufficient, the current target is to phase out all FC‘s, well before the deadline in 2015. Reducing over-all energy consumption in the build and operation of systems remains a priority but the current units are a great start, leading the way in reduced energy consumption.

More information can be found on their website at:  www.huber-online.com

Coca-Cola won an important sustainability award this week from its peers. It was awarded by the Corporate Eco Forum (CEF), an invitation-only organization for Fortune 500 companies that demonstrate a serious commitment to sustainability as a strategic business issue. CEF awarded Coke and its CEO, Muhtar Kent, the C.K. Prahalad Award for Global Sustainability Leadership. The Prahalad Award was created to honor the vision and life's work of the late Dr. C.K. Prahalad, who helped popularize the notion that companies could "do well by doing good."  The award honors Coca-Cola and Kent for international leadership on critical global environmental issues and comprehensive efforts to embed sustainability into core business strategy.

Coke's CEO co-chairs the Consumer Goods Forum, a powerful group of 450 major manufacturers and retailers. In 2010, the group committed to begin phasing out HFC refrigerants beginning in 2015 and to strive for zero net deforestation by 2020 in the procurement of palm oil, soy, beef, and paper products. Coca-Cola has also demonstrated a commitment to embedding sustainability into core business strategy. Among its notable actions, the company has invested over $60 million during the past decade in research, development and production capacity to advance the use of climate-friendly, HFC-free cooling technologies and is phasing out the use of HFC refrigerants in all new cooling equipment as of 2015.

The Prahalad Award was presented to Coca-Cola by Yvo De Boer, an internationally renowned leader on climate change who served as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from September  2006 to July 2010. Over 200 senior executives from companies representing 18 industries with combined revenues of over $3 trillion came together at the Corporate Eco Forum's 4th Annual Meeting. They focused on defining "next practice" in corporate sustainability during two days of discussions and working sessions.  CEF's 19-member advisory board voted for the recipient of the Prahalad Award. The board includes representatives from government, academia, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. 

Source: SustainableBusiness.com News