The Ministry of Waterways and Environment’s Director of Environment, Ms. Sandeep Singh opened a two day Enforcement Officers Training on the management and monitoring of the Ozone Depleting substances (ODS) in Nadi this morning.
The Enforcement Officers Training on ODS is one of the core activities implemented under the HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP), to ensure that the phase out of ODS is achieved as per Fiji’s obligation to the Montreal Protocol.
This training provides the Enforcement Officers the necessary skills to monitor and control the import and (re) export of ODSs and products containing them, for example Air- conditioning units.
“The Department of Environment, with the support of the Fiji Revenue & Customs Service (FRCS) has been facilitating the Enforcement Officers training since 2009 and both agencies have been working closely to monitor and enforce the relevant laws at our borders.”
“In the last four years, the Department of Environment has extended its network by bringing in more enforcement agencies to assist in the phasing out of ODS and includes Fiji Navy, Fiji Ports Limited, Fiji Police Force, Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji and the National Fire Authority,” Ms. Singh said.
“As Fiji continues to be committed in the phasing out of Hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) scheduled for a complete phase-out by 2030, this two-day training is intended to better inform ourselves on the current work done in the management of refrigerants and get updated on future plans for a smoother transition.”
“Fiji recently ratified the Kigali Amendment in June this year and in doing so, we reaffirmed our commitments under the Protocol and the global goal of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system,” Ms. Singh told participants.
The Director confirmed that the Department is in the process of amending the ODS regulations to include annex F of the Montreal Protocol. From January 2021, the Department will be enforcing the new licensing and permitting system for the HFC gases which are non-ODS gases but has high global warming potential.