VATIS UPDATE Article

At a ceremony in Nay Pyi Taw marking International Ozone Preservation Day, Myanmar’s permanent secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation announced that the Myanmar will work with other countries to reduce usage of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). A Hydrofluorocarbons Phase-Out Management Plan has been developed, with technical and financial assistance from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The plan seeks to limit the use of hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) supplements, reduce HCFC use in manufacturing and restrict the importation of new HCFCs. Changing the regulations relating to HCFC importation licenses and adopting importation quotas are among the first steps to be taken in implementing the plan. Myanmar is already a member of a number of other international agreements regulating the use of ODS, including the 1993 Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer.

Under that agreement, a number of targets have been set to cease the manufacture and use of HCFCs by 2030. The phase-out management plan developed with the help of the UNEP is meant to assist Myanmar in fulfilling its obligations under the agreement. The government will conduct education campaigns and skills-building workshops for people who use materials that can deplete the ozone layer, such as those involved in refrigeration or air-conditioner servicing.