Ozone Day: India free of ozone-depleting substances, MoS promotes 'cooling action plan'

The Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey, on Thursday, informed that India has successfully phased out production and consumption of several major Ozone Depletion Substances (ODS). Heading an event organised to observe the 27th Global Ozone Day in New Delhi, the minister also said that India has met all the commitments of the Montreal Protocol by obtaining all necessary technical and financial aid from the Financial Mechanism of the Montreal Protocol. The Ozone Day 2021 has been themed 'Montreal Protocol- Keeping us, our food and vaccines cool'.

India’s success in implementation of Ozone Depleting Substances

The minister stated that one of the reasons for India's success in phasing out of the Ozone Depleting Substances is the involvement of principal stakeholders both at the planning as well as implementation levels. Choubey also stated that industries, research institutions, line Ministries, consumers, etc have been contributing significantly to the ODS phase-out programme of the Montreal protocol in the country.

Citing the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which was recently ratified by India, the minister said issues relating to minimising industrial obsolescence and adverse economic impacts should appropriately be addressed while developing a hydrofluorocarbon phase down strategy for implementing it.

India observes 27th Global Ozone Day

World Ozone Day is celebrated on September 16, each year to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol, an international environmental treaty for phasing out of production and consumption of Ozone-depleting substances, that came into force on this day in 1987. The day is celebrated every year to spread awareness among people about the depletion of the Ozone layer and the measures taken to preserve it.

The Ozone Cell, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India has been celebrating World Ozone Day since 1995 at the National and State levels.

Minister releases action plan to keep India 'cool'

Meanwhile, MoS Choubey released the 'action plan' for implementing recommendations of the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) for the thematic Area Space Cooling in Buildings. The action plan has been developed after mapping the recommendations given in the ICAP and after detailed discussions with various stakeholders including line departments and Ministries.

The ICAP is the first of its kind in the world to be developed by the MoEF&CC, addresses cooling requirements across sectors and lists out actions that can help reduce the cooling demand through synergies in actions for securing both, environmental and socio-economic benefits. The ICAP aims to reduce both direct and indirect emissions.

The minister also released a study report on the cold chain sector in India for promoting non-ozone-depleting substances and low- global warming potential refrigerants and another study report on Public Procurement Policies for Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Equipment using non-ozone Depleting Substances based refrigerants.

Choubey also released the winning entries of poster and slogan competitions held on the occasion across various schools in India. More than 3,900 students participated in the competition.

Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change RP Gupta; head of UNEP in India, Atul Bagai; Resident Representative of UNDP in India, Shoko Nada; along with several other representatives of Industries, industrial organisations, various stakeholders and over 3000 school children took part in the event that was held virtually.

(Image: PIB)