H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad, the Minister of Environment and Water, reassured the UAE commitment to the objectives of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone layer and the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone layer and its amendments which come within the framework of "UAE's commitment, as part of the world, to participate in the development and application of innovative solutions to protect the environment and ensure its sustainability," affirmed by the UAE Vision 2021.
His Excellency added that the UAE had succeeded in achieving the objectives of the Convention and the Protocol by the final disposal of Chlorofluorocarbons substances (CFCs) and halos that deplete the ozone layer by 2010, and this success is the result of proper planning, hard work and close coordination and cooperation between all stakeholders in the country to achieve such noble goal.
This came in a statement by His Excellency on the occasion of the celebration of the World Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, under the slogan "Protect our Atmosphere for the Next Generations" which coincides with the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Montreal Protocol.
His Excellency commented that, the Montreal Protocol, which includes 196 countries, is considered one of the most successful international instruments, where Member States have disposed more than 98% of the depleting materials before the assigned deadline. This success has resulted in a significant improvement in repairing the damage of the ozone layer, thus protecting millions of people from skin cancer and eye diseases, and protecting many ecosystems around the world, in addition to its contribution to the mitigation of climate change. Estimates show that getting rid of substances that deplete the Ozone layer, where most are greenhouse gases, has contributed to avoid the emission of more than 135 billion tons of Carbon Dioxide equivalents.
His Excellency added that, that the successes achieved by the Protocol, led to the decrease of the depletion of the ozone layer which began its recovery, scientists say that the Ozone layer could return to the previous state prior to 1980 by the middle of this century if the commitment to the goals of the Protocol in the second phase shall continue in the same manner.
Dr. Bin Fahad said that in 2010, the UAE placed a national timetable to phase-out Chlorofluorocarbons substances (CFCs) that are depleting the Ozone layer by the deadline of the total final ban. Where through this program, procedures were enforced to regulate the import and circulation of such materials, and an inventory of all companies operating in such industry was set by giving them annual quotas, taken into account through achieve the gradual reduction of the quantities imported until the deadline of the total ban, which reduced quantities imported by half in 2005, then to 85% by 2007 and to 100% in 2010.
According to the framework of this program, the Ministry worked to stop the illicit trafficking of Ozone-depleting substances in cooperation with the competent environmental authorities and customs authorities in the country, along with the Regional Office of the United Nations Environment Program in West Asia, developing the capacity of the workforce on how to disclose such materials and providing special devices and equipment for that purpose in all customs offices in the country.
In addition, the UAE promoted the importance of the participation of the private sector in the recovery and recycling of refrigerators used in country throughout specific terms and guidelines that ensured that the operations and activities of those companies fall within the Montreal Protocol.
All coincided with the implementation of a variety of plans, programs and activities for increasing the awareness at enterprises operating in the industrial sector and members of the community about the negative effects on human health and ecosystems caused by the depletion of the Ozone layer.
With regard to the second phase, the Minister explained that the 19th Meeting of the State Parties of the Montreal Protocol had adopted a resolution setting a timetable for the disposal of Hydro-Chlorofluorocarbon Compounds (HCFCs), which had been allowed to be used previously as phase-shifting substitutes, for they are have been proven for their severe impact which worsened global warming.
Under this resolution, it will freeze production and consumption of HCFC compounds in the UAE in 2013 at the level of the base year 2009/2010, and then will be reduced gradually until the final deadline of the ban in 2040.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Environment and Water issued a regulation in January 2012, where it shall be obliged to follow the schedule specified by the 19th meeting of the State Parties of the Protocol, where annual quotas for registered companies operating in this field are subject to reduce such substances at every stage.
The resolution also specified the materials that will be gradually be reduced and the reduction phase program, requiring all importing companies of such compounds to register with the Ministry, and not to exceed the quotas allowed and presenting semi-annual statistics to the Ministry of the quantities imported and their circulation as of 1/6/2012, in addition to the prohibition of the import or re-export of any of the compounds mentioned in the resolution without obtaining permission from the Ministry of Environment and Water, starting from 1/1/2013.
It is worth mentioning that the UAE had joined the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone layer in 1989, and joined the four amendments of the Montreal Protocol as well (London amendment 1990, Copenhagen amendment 1992, Montreal amendment 1997, and Beijing amendment 1999) under Federal Decree 72, of December 29th, 2004.