The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated that, the adoption of the Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depletion some 32 years ago, by some countries, has resulted in the near complete elimination of ozone depleting substances. According to the EPA, over 98 per cent of ozone depleting substances worldwide have been eliminated with the possibility of repairing the layer by the middle of the century.
The achievement, according to Mr. John Pwamang, the Acting Executive Director of the EPA, has been as the result of countries’ shared commitments and cooperation, coupled with the daily choices of individuals around the world.
“Some may wonder why this matters. To this you can respond that, ‘thanks to the success of the Montreal Protocol, millions of cases of skin cancer have been avoided,’ and so have tens of millions of cases of eye cataracts,” he said.
He added, “it has also had huge positive impacts for agriculture, preventing significant loss of food crops and food security challenges.”
Mr. Pwamang was speaking on Wednesday, 25th September, at the official opening of the two parts, week-long sub-regional training workshop of National Ozone Officers from Western, Eastern, Northern and Southern regions of the Africa Anglophone Network in Accra.
The workshop is to provide National Ozone Unit (NOU) staffs with essential information about the Montreal protocol, a country’s obligation under the protocol, and the main activities carried out by NOU.
Speaking at the workshop, Mr Emmanuel Osae-Quansah, the Director, National Ozone Officer, EPA, said the workshop was in response to the ratification and the implementation of the Kigali Amendment that sought to phase down 19 identified Hydrochloflurocarbon (HFC) refrigerants found in refrigerators, air-conditioning, cold storage systems and in the mortuaries.
The expected outcome from the training is to furnish NOU staffs with information and skills they can use in their work including useful sources of information and places where they can seek advice and support.
