• Hydrofluorocarbons are potent greenhouse gases that have global warming potentials and range from hundreds to thousands of times that of carbon dioxide.
• "The developed countries were out of them by 2020s and developing countries have until 2030 to eliminate them,” Curlin said.
Image: JACK OWUOR
Kenya has rallied African countries to move with speed and phase-down dangerous chemicals responsible for global warming.
UNEP’s head of ozone action James Curlin said a lot of strides have been made in phasing out chlorofluorocarbons.
“We are in the process of eliminating hydrofluorocarbons that are less damaging to the ozone layer but had some ozone depletion. They are on the way out,” Curlin said.
"The developed countries were out of them by 2020s and developing countries have until 2030 to eliminate them.”
The official spoke at United Nations Environment Programme, Gigiri, Nairobi, during a joint network meeting of African ozone officers on Monday.
Curlin said hydrofluorocarbons are potent greenhouse gases that have global warming potentials ranging from hundreds to thousands of times that of carbon dioxide.
He said strides have been made with regard to ozone-depleting chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons but there is a need to tackle others such as hydrofluorocarbons.
The official said African countries including Kenya are doing well as far as phase-down is concerned.
He said the hydrofluorocarbons introduced through Kigali amendments are those to be phased-down but not completely eliminated.
“They will go down to a certain level and at that level, countries will be able to use. The phase-down will take place between now and 2045,” Curlin said.
He said even though hydrofluorocarbons are responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer to some extent, it also contributes to global warming.
The chlorofluorocarbons, which had been blamed for the destruction of the ozone layer have been tamed.
The ozone layer is the natural shield against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, which can cause severe health risks such as skin cancers.
When the ozone layer is destroyed, the ultraviolet rays from the sun to the earth’s surface are increased.
So dangerous are the radiations that they damage the immune system, and increase exposure to skin cancer and eye cataracts.
Long-term exposure to high levels of UV-B can severely ruin most animals, plants and microbes.
Environment PS Dr Chris Kiptoo in a speech read on his behalf by the acting director of multilateral agreements Cyrus Mageria urged countries move in unison.
“We call upon parties that have not ratified the Kigali amendment to do so for the globe to maintain ozone layer perseveration,” Kiptoo said.
The three-day joint network meeting of African Ozone officers comes at a time nations have called for urgent and ambitious actions to deal with the current planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and waste.
The Montreal Protocol is a global agreement that gives all parties specific responsibilities related to the phase-out of different groups of substances and control of substance trade.
Also, annual reporting of data, and national licensing systems to control substance imports and exports.
The landmark agreement came into effect in 1989 and is one of the most successful global environmental deals.
Kenya signed the Montreal Protocol in February 1988 and has ratified it.
On October 15, 2016, the Montreal Protocol was amended when delegates from all over the world convened in Kigali from October 10-15, for the 28th meeting of parties to the Montreal Protocol.
The Kigali amendment seeks to phase-down the hydrofluorocarbons, responsible for global warming.
Kenya is in the process of ratifying the Kigali amendment.
The country has phased-out chlorofluorocarbons that were previously used in industries such as in halon fire extinguisher and methyl bromide in the post-harvest grain sector.
Kiptoo said Kenya has made considerable progress in the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances in most applications with emphasis on low global warming potential and energy efficiency alternatives.
“Some of the enterprises in the country have voluntarily converted their refrigeration and air conditioning systems to the use of natural refrigerants," he said.
"For example, Coca-Cola industries based in various regions within the country have converted their stand-alone coolers to use carbon dioxide, while dairy industries are using ammonia as their major coolant.”
The Gigiri meeting will share experiences and information to enable countries to implement national hydrofluorocarbons phase-out.
It will also provide a platform for officials to examine common challenges and compare notes on measures taken in past years.
The PS said more than 1,000 refrigeration and air conditioning service technicians and 200 custom officers have been trained on good practices during repair and maintenance of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment.
They have also been trained on control measures for ozone-depleting substance imports and exports.
Kiptoo said accessible and affordable energy efficiency and low global warming potential techniques must be made easily available if countries are to implement the Kigali amendment on the phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons.
He said Kenya is in the final stages and will very soon be depositing her ratification instrument with the secretariat.
During the three-day meeting, the level of implementation of the phase-out by countries will be evaluated.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)