Government of Belize (September 13, 2012)
DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, MINISTRY OF
FORESTRY, FISHERIES & SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
"Environmental Protection is Everybody’s Business."
______________________________________________________________________________
Capacity Building for Enhanced Control of Trade of
HCFC based Substances and Equipment under the
HPMP
Enforcement Officers Training
Belize City, October 23-25, 2012
CONCEPT NOTE
I.
1.
Background
The Department of the Environment (DOE) has been executing the Ozone Layer
Protection Programme since 2000. Appendix 1 provides the status of amendments to the
Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer as applicable to Belize. Belize has successfully
phased out one group of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODSs) known as
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). To accomplish this task, the DOE implemented the
following national projects:
a.
b.
c.
d.
II.
2.
The Country Programme (CP): In 2000, the CP established the National Ozone
Unit (NOU), within the DOE, to serve as the focal point for all activities
related to the implementation of the Montreal Protocol. As part of this project,
a nation-wide survey was conducted, wherein the main ODSs discovered to be
used at the time were CFC-12 and CFC-502.
Both were used in the
Refrigeration and Air conditioning servicing sector of Belize. The CP
established the CFC baseline of 24.5 metric tonnes.
The Refrigerant Management Plan (RMP): Implemented during 2002-2004 and
achieved 50% reduction of Belize’s CFC baseline;
The Refrigerant Management Plan Update (RMPU): Implemented during
2005-2007 and achieved 75% of Belize CFC’s baseline; and
The Terminal Phase-Out Management Plan (TPMP): A complete phase-out of
CFCs was accomplished from 2008-2010. January 1, 2010, marks the effective
date for the complete phase-out of CFCs.
Introduction
Notwithstanding, the successful implementation of the aforementioned projects, the
Global Community is now faced with another group of ODSs that need to be addressed
and phased out. This group is known as Hydro-Chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and which
were developed as “transitional replacements” to CFCs. That is to say, HCFCs have a
lower ozone depleting potential (ODP) than CFCs, but are still ODSs.
As a result, the DOE has once more embarked on a national survey in 2009-2010 to
determine the amount and uses of HCFCs used in Belize and to determine the HCFC
baseline, from which phase-out will commence. The survey revealed that the main HCFCs
used in Belize are namely; HCFC-22 and HCFC-141b, which are both used in the
Refrigeration and Air conditioning servicing sector. HCFC-22 is used as a refrigerant in
commercial refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, while HCFC-141b is used as a
flushing agent.
A new plan has been developed to phase-out HCFCs. This plan is called the HCFCs
Phase-Out Management Plan (HPMP) and shall be implemented from 2013-2040. The
HPMP was launched in May of 2011. The Plan ensures a gradual phase-out of HCFCs,
without hindering Belize’s economic growth potential and promotes sustainability by the
use of ozone friendly refrigerants and those with low global warming potential and high
energy efficiency. The Plan therefore entails a wide-range of sub-components which ought
to be implemented cohesively and coherently for a successful phase-out of HCFCs. The
sub-components are as follows:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
Technical capacity development;
Recovery, reuse and recycling of refrigerants;
Assistance for the use of hydrocarbon refrigerant equipment;
Refrigeration and air conditioning excellence centre and development of
national expertise capacity;
Synergy between energy efficiency and HCFC phase-out in the tourism and
hotel sector;
Improved Policy and Legal Framework to support HCFC Phase-out;
Capacity Building for Enhanced Control of Trade of HCFC based Substances
and Equipment; and
Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting.
This training seeks to implement the sub-component entitled, “Capacity Building for
Enhanced Control of Trade of HCFC based Substances and Equipment.”
3.
The Capacity Building for Enhanced Control of Trade of HCFC based Substances and
Equipment is training targeted to Enforcement Officers inclusive of personnel from the
Customs and Excise Department, the Police Department, Belize Cost Guard, Fire
Department, and other relevant Enforcement Officers. Most of the participants are from
the Customs and Excise Department as they are on the fore-front of all imports of ODSs
and refrigeration and air conditioning equipment and the consequent prevention of illicit
trade.
The training will serve as a ‘refresher programme’ for new recruits being brought into the
“Enforcement Officers family” and those officers untrained under past projects are given
the opportunity to venture and learn new topics in line with ozone layer protection.
III.
4.
Structure of the Training
The training will be done at three (3) hierarchical levels of the Enforcement Officers.
They are inclusive of the following:
a. High-Level Enforcement Officers
b. Mid-Level Enforcement Officers
c. Front-Line Enforcement Officers
Agendas for the training have been developed by the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP), in conjunction with the NOU. The agenda for the High-Level
Enforcement Officers is a short and concise introduction into major topics such as Ozone
Layer depletion, international response, and role of Customs Officers. In fact, the
proposed agenda is only for three and a half hours. While the Department recognizes that
not all High-Level Enforcement Officers can be present at this training, the proposed
agenda is intended to accommodate as many of these Officers as possible. See appendix 2
for the agenda.
The agenda for the Mid-Level Enforcement Officers training is an extension of the
agenda for the High-Level Enforcement Officers. In fact, during the morning session of
day one, both High-Level and Mid-Level Enforcement Officers will attend, and
thereafter, only Mid-Level Enforcement Officers will attend the afternoon session. The
afternoon session is more in-depth with other topics and has a practical session for using
the refrigerant identifiers. See appendix 2 for the agenda.
The agenda for the Front-Line Enforcement Officers is very in-depth with respect to
topics such as Ozone Layer depletion, international response, national obligations and
response, illicit trade, and role of Customs Officers. The agenda is designed for only a
day of training with the use of training materials such as power points presentations,
posters, practical sessions, etc. Participants will also be given the opportunity to ask
questions, answer questions, give comments, and provide feedback to the overall quality
of the training programme. See appendix 3 for the agenda.
One High-Level Enforcement Officers, one Mid-Level Enforcement Officers (for 15
persons) and two Front-Line Enforcement Officers (for 15-20 persons) workshops will be
conducted. The training for all levels of Enforcement Officers will be done in not more
than three days. Further training of Front-Line Enforcement Officers will be continuous,
however.
IV.
Media Coverage
5. Media coverage by the Government of Belize Press Office and other media houses which
will be invited through a press release. Media interviews will be accommodated for the
first day of the training session only.
V.
Date and Venue
6. The training will be done from October 23-25, 2012, and will be held at Chateau
Caribbean, #6 Marine Parade, Belize City. For further reference, kindly consult the
agendas.
VI.
Organizers
7. The NOU in the DOE, in conjunction with UNEP.
VII.
Contact Persons
8. Mr. Martin Alegria, Chief Environmental Officer and Ozone Programme Director,
Department of the Environment.
Phone: 802-2816 or 2542 and email: [email protected]
9. Mr. Valentino Blanco, National Ozone Officer, Department of the Environment.
Phone: 802-2816 or 2542 and email: [email protected]
APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1: BELIZE’S STATUS OF AMENDMENT TO THE VIENNA CONVENTION & THE
MONTREAL PROTOCOL
Year
1980’s
Activity
1.
1985 &
1988
2.
1987 &
1989
3.
1997
4.
1998
5.
2008
6.
Discovery of the ozone hole in Antarctica and ozone layer protection
considered by countries
As a result, a Multilateral Environmental Agreement (MEA) named the
Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was agreed in 1985
and entered into force in 1988.
A protocol to this MEA, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the
Ozone Layer, was open for signature in 1987 and entered into force in 1989. It
included legally binding reduction goals for the elimination of Ozone
Depleting Substances (ODSs) by Parties of the Protocol.
Belize acceded to the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol.
The country is classified as an Article 5 country under the Montreal
Protocol which qualifies Belize for international assistance under the
Multilateral Fund (MLF).
Belize acceded to the London and Copenhagen Amendments to the Montreal
Protocol.
Belize acceded to the Montreal and Beijing Amendments to the Protocol.
2008.
Available at http://ozone.unep.org/new_site/en/index.php
APPENDIX 2: AGENDA FOR HIGH-LEVEL AND MID-LEVEL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TRAINING.
Available at www.noubelize.gov.bz
APPENDIX 3: AGENDA FOR FRONT-LINE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TRAINING.
Available at www.noubelize.gov.bz