25 Sep 2016

The director of the Department of Meteorological Services, Mr Thabang Botshoma has advised Batswana to protect the ozone layer for future generations.

Mr Botshoma was speaking during the HydroChloroFluoroCarbons (HCFC) Human Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) launch in Francistown on Thursday.

He said the Montreal protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer was adopted in 1987 with binding control on the production and consumption of ozone depleting substances to protect the ozone layer.

He said through financial and technical support, developing countries such as Botswana have been assisted to implement their obligations under the protocol.

Mr Botshoma said Botswana became party to the protocol on March 2, 1992 thereby joining the international community in ensuring that ozone depletion concerns raised under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on global warming were addressed in the phase-out of ozone depleting chemicals.

He explained that as the most successful environment treaty, the Montreal Protocol has been an important key in curbing the effects of ozone depletion.

 Mr Botshoma said that the protocol has undertaken a wide range of legislative, policy and other actions to implement its provisions, including regulating and controlling as well as monitoring ODS, adding that through that Botswana has met her obligation of phasing out ChloroFluoroCarbons (CFC).

He said HCFC, which has less ozone depleting potential, was a viable alternative and had a delayed phase out of 2030.

Mr Botshoma said in an effort to meet that expectation, the multilateral fund of the protocol approved HCFC phase out management plan for Botswana that woulf assist her to meet obligations. ENDS