By: Mariama Njie
Program Officer for Environmental Education and Communication (EE&C) at the National Environment Agency has called on refrigeration, air conditioning and super refrigeration technicians to work harder in protecting the ozone layer from depletion from their used refrigerants or substances that either have global warming and ozone depleting potentials.
Sheikh Alkinky Sanyang made this disclosure during an exclusive interview with The Voice in his Kanifing office. He said the Kigali Agreement is a reaffirmation of the global intent to mitigate climate change and exemplifies international co-operation in this regard. The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol is legally binding and came into force from January 1, 2019.
“It has been proven that life on earth depends on the protection provided by ozone in the stratosphere, which acts to screen harmful ultraviolet (UV) solar radiation from the Sun. The ozone layer is depleted as a result of the emission of certain human-made chemicals that react and destroy ozone molecules in the stratosphere,” he said.
He revealed that the government of The Gambia in pursuance of safe and healthy environment for the present generation and posterity has responded positively and has shown its firm commitments to phase-out the consumption of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) by ratifying the following international conventions and Protocols.
The Vienna Convection, Montreal Protocol, London Copenhagen, Montreal and the Beijing Amendments to the Montreal Protocol in June 2003, and the Gambia on April 30th 2021 ratified the Kigali Amendment, which enters into force on 1 January 2019.
He said in a bid to protect and preserve the Ozone Layer the National Environment Agency through the Ozone Unit has registered remarkable success in the fight against atmospheric pollution and the destruction of the Ozone Layer through the support of international agencies and programmes such as UNEP, GTZ, etc.
According to Sanyang, UNDP and UNIDO enabled The Gambia to achieve the establishment of a National technical working group in place to monitor, control and eliminate Ozone depleting substances in the country, development of ODS regulation to control the importation and consumption of ozone depleting substances such as Halons, CFC’s, Carbon Tetrachloride, Methyl Chloroform and Methyl bromide.
“The achievements also include the training of Refrigeration technicians across the country in refrigeration techniques, refrigerant handling, and recovery and recycling up to date, recovery and recycling scheme is on-going and refrigeration technicians at regional level have been provided with basic tools and equipment to improve on their work and establishment of seven Regional Refrigeration Technicians Associations in The Gambia. These Associations have also been provided with modern tools and equipment for the recovery of ODS to get them to run on Ozone-friendly gases”. Sanyang Pointed out. Also, part of the successes is the training of Customs and other security officers on the monitoring and control of ODS Imports and Exports and supplied with tool kits that will enable them implement the export / licensing systems.
“The Montreal protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone Layer is a successful global treaty due to its outstanding achievements. It is indeed the most successful international environment agreement. The parties of Montreal protocol have been keeping our planet cooler by controlling the production and consumption of Ozone Depleting substances and refrigerants that contribute to the warming of the earth,” he explained
He reiterated that sensitization and awareness creation using different media outlets is ongoing, in an effort to reach out to the grassroots on the protection of the Ozone Layer including primary school students on the importance of the Ozone Layer and on substances that do not only deplete the Ozone Layer but contribute to the warming of the earth.
Therefore, “we shall be judged by what we have done to protect our environment particularly the atmosphere that houses the Ozone Layer. So, it is incumbent on us all to use Ozone friendly refrigerants, and educate each other on the dangers associated with the use of Ozone Depleting Substances and refrigerants that contribute to the warming of the earth.”