UAE Ministry of Environment & Water participates in the 36th Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol

UAE, October 29, 2015- H.E Abdel Rahim Mohammed Al Hammadi, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water, headed the National Delegation to the 36th Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, taking place from October 29 to 30, 2015 at the Conrad Hotel in Dubai. The two-day session will be a precursor to the 27th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol which will be held from November 1 to 5, 2015 at the same venue.

The Assistant Undersecretary praised the successes achieved by the Montreal Protocol on Substance that Depletes the Ozone Layer in the phasing out of ozone-depleting substances. He said that the UAE is keen to contribute towards the international efforts by hosting the two meetings with an aim to mobilize activities for implementing the terms of the Protocol and developing alternative and sustainable solutions to hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) compounds.

H.E. Al Hammadi stated that the UAE is hosting the Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol for the first time and looks forward to a positive outcome from it 27th edition. The Ministry expects that the decision will help strengthen international efforts to eliminate the use of HCFC vehicles by 2040 as well as study HCFC management to set out the framework for mitigation of global warming.

The meeting discussed options and proposals by the participating parties on the feasibility and management of HCFC vehicles. It also talked about issues that have not been resolved yet in this regard. These include the challenges and mechanisms to be followed by the countries to promote the implementation of the Protocol’s obligations from economic, financial, environmental and technological aspects. Additionally, it provided access to the decisions of the previous meetings and materials related to HCFC management.

The UAE Ministry of Environment and Water hosted the 55th Meeting of the Implementation Committee under the Non-Compliance Procedure of the Montreal Protocol on October 28, 2015 in Dubai. The session brainstormed on access to the reports of cooperating countries on the complete implementation of the Protocol and prevent illicit trafficking of materials that deplete the Ozone Layer.