Africa-Press – Mauritius. An exhibition, aiming to sensitise the public on climate change and ozone layer depletion while encouraging active public participation towards the preservation and protection of the ozone layer, was launched, today, at the City Council of Port Louis.
The event is being organised as part of a series of activities to mark the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 2023. The theme for this year’s celebration is: ‘Montreal Protocol: fixing the Ozone Layer and Reducing Climate Change’.
The Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Mr Kavydass Ramano, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Mauritius and Seychelles, Ms Lisa Simrique Singh, the Lord Mayor of the City of Port Louis, Mr Mamode Issop Nujuraully, and other personalities were present at the launch.
In his address, the Minister stated that the World Ozone Day provided an excellent opportunity to outreach the successes and ventilate the latest developments regarding the Montreal Protocol, whilst ensuring an increased support for national compliance strategy among the public and key stakeholders.
He remarked that following the discovery of the ozone hole over the Antarctic in 1985, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed in 1987 to safeguard the ozone layer by regulating the global production and consumption of Ozone-depleting substances, with the aim of progressively eliminating these chemicals.
“Mauritius,” he said, “became Party to the Protocol in 1992 and has been actively engaged in implementing its provisions including the implementation of the Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) Phase-Out Management Plan.
” “Currently, projects implemented have enabled Mauritius to reduce its HCFCs consumption from 8 Ozone-depleting Potential tonnes in 2013 to 1.81 in 2022,” he indicated.
“According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the hole is getting smaller, and the ozone layer is expected to recover to 1980 values, that is before the appearance of the ozone hole, by around 2066 over the Antarctic, by 2045 over the Arctic and by 2040 for the rest of the world,” pointed out the Minister.
Additionally, Minister Ramano said that awareness campaigns and training programmes on enforcement to track down illegal trade of Ozone-depleting substances were being carried out by the Ministry.
The Minister expressed his appreciation to the private sector, non-governmental organisations and civil society in enabling the Ministry to achieve the set targets and made an appeal to stakeholders to collaborate fully with the Ministry in establishing and implementing the Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) Phase-down Management Plan.
As for Ms Singh, she elaborated on the latest scientific updates on the ozone layer. “The Montreal Protocol,” she underlined, “is one of the most successful Multilateral Environmental Agreement that has succeeded in safeguarding the ozone layer by phasing out nearly 99% of banned ozone-depleting substances as reported by the UN Scientific Assessment Panel.
” She also lauded the Government of Mauritius for undertaking bold measures to contribute to the protection of the planet.
For his part, the Lord Mayor elaborated on the depletion of the ozone layer while highlighting the implementation of the Montreal Protocol to raise awareness on the importance of preserving the ozone layer.
He dwelt on the consequences of climate change on the world, adding that the Government was sparing no efforts to contribute to the preservation of the ozone layer. A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed on the occasion and was followed by the handing-over of recovery units.
Other activities being organised by the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change include workshop, trainings, radio programmes and talks in social welfare centres.
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