International Ozone Day Celebration

CHINA

16 September 2005

Speech by the representative of theUnited nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• The United Nations Environment Programme has a longstanding fruitful cooperation with China . UNEP is not the agency with the biggest or the largest number of projects in China , but we have a unique relationship that produces innovative capacity-building ideas. In the last years, in fact from 1995, SEPA has organized greatly successful International Ozone Day celebrations. We greatly value this and feel a special kinship with China , particularly for information and awareness activities on Ozone.

• The focus of the Montreal Protocol implementation has shifted over time. It has moved from the global level (policymaking) to the national level (phase-out strategies) during the Compliance Phase of the Protocol. The focus is now shifting to the local level, which must ensure that the national strategies are implemented in reality. The Montreal Protocol itself is named after a city, not a country or a scientific subject or a person, which is symbolic of the importance of the city in the entire multilateral environmental agreement.

• Mayors, town councils, local environmental authorities, citizens groups, school boards all have key roles in ensuring that: federal ozone protection laws are respected; citizens understand ozone policies and issues; children are aware of health risks of exposure to Ultra-Violet rays and the need to protect the environment; the investment environment is conducive to financing Montreal Protocol projects; tax codes favour investment in ODS alternatives; and local codes and standards encourage ODS alternatives.

• We congratulate SEPA for its innovations such as the MEA Industrial Park in the city in Lang Fang, Hebei Province . In this respect I would like to express our appreciation of SEPA's leadership and hospitality during the last meeting of the Networks of South Asia and South-East Asia and Pacific Ozone Officers. SEPA enabled the participants to visit the MEA Industrial Park , and this was an educational and stimulating experience for them.

• Municipalities need to be concerned about virtually all of the ODS sectors because these chemicals are used throughout the fabric of urban life. Issues that require close attention by municipalities include:

• Chillers . Large buildings in cities and towns – apartment buildings, hotels, government offices, hospitals – rely on chillers for air conditioning. The chiller phase out is key. UNEP has a strong role in the non-investment (capacity-building) area in this sector.
• Mobile air conditioning (MAC) . The auto fleets on the streets of towns and cities rely on CFCs and HFCs for air conditioning. This sector is growing rapidly. Solutions need to be found to ensure that MAC systems are climate and ozone friendly. Proper servicing centres should be supported and verified by local authorities. UNEP is working on this issue with a consortium of developed and developing countries, and would like to pursue this issue in China .
• Halons . Many private and public sector facilities of all types, including telecommunications facilities, banks, computer facilities, museums etc rely on halons. Codes and standards, which have been on the books for a long time, often do not permit halon. I would like to mention UNEP's Online HalonTrader as an example of innovative project in this sector. Of course, regional, sub-regional, national and local halon banks are and will be instrumental in the halon phase out.

• I would like to mention, with great pleasure, that on the 25 th April this year, a Letter of Intent was signed between SEPA and UNEP. This Letter of Intent confirms that UNEP will work with SEPA in the area of capacity building of national stakeholders on HCFC issues such as: management of the use of HCFCs at the national level; regulations; import/export controls; licensing; production and inventory; and dumping issues. UNEP, through its Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) team in Bangkok , will also work with SEPA on the capacity building of National Ozone Units on compliance issues.

• UNEP welcomes the setting up by SEPA of the China Compliance Centre on Capacity Building (CCCC) as a regional training collaborating centre focused on building capacity on compliance with Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). UNEP will, through its Green Buildings Programme, assist SEPA in making the CCCC into a green building through provision of expert advice.

• With regard to the Ozone Layer, the world community and China can be proud of the achievements reached, but all of us are also aware of the challenges ahead. UNEP stands ready to work with China , in cooperation with our partners, - many of whom are present here. We are happy and feel privileged to participate in the International Ozone Day celebration in Shenzhen , China , today.