Africa-Press – Mauritius. A workshop with the aim to sensitise the younger generation on ozone layer depletion as well as to encourage their active participation towards its preservation and protection opened, this morning, at the Ravenala Attitude Hotel in Balaclava.
The event forms part of activities being organised to mark the International Day for the preservation of the Ozone Layer 2022. This year’s theme is “Montreal Protocol@35: Global Cooperation to Protect Life on Earth”
The Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Mr Kavydass Ramano, the UN Resident Coordinator, Mrs Christine Umotoni and other personalities were present at the opening.
In his address, Minister Ramano recalled that sustainable consumption and production, combined with circular approaches, can stimulate economic development, reduce pollution, mitigate climate change, and have positive health impacts and this can be achieved with the collaboration of stakeholders and the support of the youth who are the future leaders of tomorrow.
The international day, proclaimed by the UN in 1994, commemorates the signing of the Montreal Protocol to which Mauritius is party, and is celebrated every year on September 16. The day, he said, is an opportunity to raise awareness of the efforts needed to protect the ozone layer.
In line with the Montreal Protocol and its various amendments, Mauritius, he pointed out, launched its Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) phase-out management plan in 2011 with the objective of a complete phase-out by 2025.
Currently, the implementation of this plan is in full swing and Mauritius has successfully reduced its HCFC consumption from 8 ‘Ozone Depleting Potential Tons’ in 2013 to 1.38 ‘Ozone Depleting Potential Tons’ in 2021, he indicated.
The Montreal Protocol, the Minister emphasised has enabled a decrease of around 35 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from 1990 to 2010 by using ozone-friendly refrigerants with a lower global warming potential.
He observed that in Mauritius, the impacts of climate change are real and are being witnessed in terms of imbalance in rainfall, an increase in temperature of 1.39 degrees Celsius, rise in sea level by about 5.6 mm per year, bleaching of coral reefs, and shrinking of beaches by up to 20 meters during the last decades.
In view to support projects to adapt to the impacts of climate change, Government, he said has allocated more than Rs 2 billion to the National Environment and Climate Change Fund.
Speaking about air pollution, Mr Ramano said that an Air Quality Index (AQI) for Mauritius has been implemented and a network of fixed ambient air monitoring stations has been set up across the island.
For her part, Mrs Umutoni noted there has been an increase in the number of cases of eye cataracts and skin cancer with the thinning of the ozone layer.
The 35th years of the Montreal Protocol, she said, is an important milestone for humanity and one of the most successful treaties in protecting the ozone layer.
She commended the Government of Mauritius for its determination to support mitigation actions to eliminate the use of ozone depleting substances adding that the country is a role model for other countries to follow. She also called for the collaboration of each and everyone in particular the youth to address climate crisis.
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