News

Thimphu, December 2019  ̶   Under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, the technicians who work in refrigeration and air conditioning play a major role because they handle the refrigerant gases that are controlled under that international environmental agreement.

In late November and mid-December 2019, both the Maldives and Sri Lanka, in cooperation with UNEP OzonAction and the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigerating Institute (AHRI), advanced the Refrigerant Driving License (RDL) program by conducting technicians training sessions under the pilot stage of the RDL program targeting 31 local technicians who were trained and tested against RDL minimum requirements of competencies and skills.

The following six stories from China are extracts from the booklet 'Women in the Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry."

The following five stories from China are extracts from the booklet 'Women in the Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry."

The following stories from Bulgaria and Canada are extracts from the booklet 'Women in the Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry." VIOLETA IVANOVA (BULGARIA) I was born, and have always lived and worked, in Sofia, the capital city of a beautiful country called Bulgaria.

Rome, Italy, 8 November 2019 – Through organizing six technical sessions and signing five memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with key global refrigeration and air-conditioning associations, UNEP OzonAction is fostering ties with key industry stakeholders and experts from the HVAC&R community.

ATLANTA, Nov. 6, 2019 – ASHRAE and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) have announced the project selections for the 2019 ASHRAE-UNEP OzonAction Lower-GWP Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Innovation Awards. The annual international award program promotes innovative design, research and practice by recognizing people who have developed or implemented innovative technological concepts applied in developing countries to promote lower global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants through refrigeration and air-conditioning applications.

The following stories from Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana and Brazil are extracts from the booklet 'Women in the Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry." GORDON TICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA I was born in Banja Luka on March 31, 1964, where I completed elementary school and high school. I entered the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Thermotechnics and Motorization in 19n3. I graduated in April 1989.

The following storiesy from Bangladesh, Barbados, and Bolivia are extracts from the booklet 'Women in the Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry."

The following stories from five women in Australia are extracts from the booklet 'Women in the Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry." 1. ROXI AND WENDY KENNY While Wendy says she fell into the industry by chance, Roxi believes that the RAC industry chose her.

In my career, I have been fortunate to work in a variety of industries, from manufacturing to sports event management, where I have gained experience in supporting women in male-dominated environments. I have also gained a wealth of experience from my role as the Community Sponsorship and Marketing Manager for the Aberfeldie Sports Club. The Sports Club is committed to “Inspiring Women Through Football” with participation of female players in the Youth Girls and Senior Women’s Team. Now I am able to transfer my expertise into my current role in the RAC sector.

Koror, Palau, 12 August 2019 — What are the challenges and policy options for the Pacific Island Countries (PIC) to sustain compliance with Montreal Protocol obligations notwithstanding that most countries have achieved more than 90% reduction in HCFC consumption in 2018?  How should the PIC countries prepare themselves to meet initial obligations under the Kigali Amendment especially in ensu

The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer requires Parties to the Amendment to put into place an import and export licensing system for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by 1st  January 2019 (or two years later if required).

The following story is an extract from the booklet 'Women in the Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry."

Cebu, 30 July 2019 — What policies and programmes have worked well for our countries under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer? What needs strengthening? How do we prepare ourselves to meet new commitments?

If you ask the average person on the street who they think designs, manufactures, installs and services the refrigeration and air conditioning equipment that cools our homes and offices, keeps our food fresh and preserves our vaccines, most people would not typically think of a woman. And yet, they should. Women engineers, technicians, trainers and professors are increasingly working in this traditionally male-dominated field and making significant contributions to its professional development.

BANGKOK, 3 July 2019 — What happens to refrigerants after they enter a country? Are there any refrigerants that enter the market improperly? What can be done when you find them? These and other questions were considered at an event organized by UN Environment OzonAction Compliance Assistance Program (CAP) in the margins of the 41st Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol.

Enforcement of HCFC Licensing Systems: Beyond the Customs Check-point Sharing examples of best practices from Lao PDR, Mongolia and the Federated States of Micronesia. 

Bangkok, 1 July 2019 – National technical and vocational training holds one of the keys that can unlock the potential of one of the world’s most effective multilateral environmental agreements for even greater environmental achievements and labour force development. This was the theme behind a landmark workshop organised by UN Environment in Bangkok last week in which over 60 representatives from 21 countries across Asia gathered ahead of the 41st Meeting of Open-Ended Working Group of Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

LONDON/PARIS/ATLANTA, 26 June 2019 – Refrigerants are all around us, and modern life depends on them. They are found in homes, cars, factories, offices, hospitals, anywhere where food and medicine need to be preserved, where data needs to be maintained, products manufactured, and where people expect comfort.

UN Environment OzonAction, American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), and the World Refrigeration Day Secretariat are in partnership in campaigning for the first World Refrigeration Day (WRD), on 26 June 2019 with the theme: REFRIGERANTS FOR LIFE

Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 24 April 2019 — The General Directorate of Environment Protection, Ministry of Environment organized a national stakeholders meeting in Phnom Penh on 24 April 2019 on the implementation of the enabling activities for HFC phase-down. The meeting was supported by UN Environment’s OzonAction Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP).  

UN Environment OzonAction organized the 8th China Ozone2Climate Technology Roadshow and Industry Roundtable in Shanghai

PARIS, FRANCE, 28 February — United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction has joined the growing coalition of partners around the world that are supporting World Refrigeration Day (WRD), a newly established annual celebration of the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat-pump sector’s myriad contributions to societal goals – including environmental protection. The first celebration, “WRD-2019,” will take place this 26 June and thereafter on the same day each year.

ATLANTA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 16 January 2019 — In the margins of the ASHRAE Winter Conference and in the presence of members of the ASHRAE Associate Societies Alliance (AASA) representing more than sixty international refrigeration and air-conditioning engineering associations from all continents, ASHRAE and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction launched their sixth biennial joint workplan under the theme “Refrigerant Management for Developing Economies.”