The Egyptian Program for the Protection of the Ozone Layer
The Egyptian program was developed, including the size of the various industrial and commercial activities that require the application of alternatives, as well as a draft of general decisions and rules for implementing Egyptian obligations.The Egyptian program for protecting the ozone layer includes many industrial and agricultural sectors, including:
Signing cooperation protocols with a number of government agencies
Within the framework of implementing the Egyptian program to protect the ozone layer, the Environmental Affairs Agency, which is the body responsible for implementing Egypt's obligations under the provisions of the Montreal Protocol and its amendments to protect the ozone layer, took the initiative to work jointly and cooperate with all concerned parties and sign cooperation protocols with the Consumer Protection Agency, the Agreements and Foreign Trade Sector, the Productivity Efficiency Authority, the Egyptian General Organization for Standardization and Quality, and the National Center for Housing and Building Research to implement some activities of the second phase of the Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HPMP) Disposal Management Project. The most important of these activities are:
- Review and update policies and regulations related to supporting the phase-out of HCFCs.
- Ensure tight control over imports, exports and trade of controlled materials and equipment, while implementing training programs and establishing control mechanisms.
- Update Egyptian standard codes and specifications for devices, equipment and refrigerant containers, and standards for the various sectors using controlled materials.
- Update and implement a national program for practicing the refrigeration and air conditioning profession for service centers, repair and maintenance workshops.
- Implement programs to train technicians in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector and update vocational training and technical education curricula for all educational stages.
- Design and implement ongoing awareness programs and campaigns to promote the use of modern technology and environmentally friendly alternatives For ozone and climate change, as well as proper management of refrigerants.
Cooperation between different ministries to protect the ozone layer
In order for Egypt to be able to fulfill its obligations towards the Montreal Protocol and to preserve the ozone layer, it was necessary to combine all efforts to reach this national goal
Future Vision
In line with the global trend to combat global warming and reduce the effects of climate change, the environmental policy seeks to:
- Completing the implementation of the plan to phase out the use of ozone-depleting hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the foam products and insulation materials manufacturing sector by completing the adjustment of the status of national companies operating in this field and switching to using friendly materials and stopping the use of R141b by 2020 in cooperation with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
- Choosing the best alternatives and modern technologies according to the Egyptian Environmentally Friendly and Appropriate Alternatives Assessment Initiative (EGYPRA) in the home and industrial air conditioning manufacturing sector, and overcoming the challenges resulting from stopping the use of the ozone-depleting refrigerant R22, which gives the Egyptian product the ability to compete in global markets.
- Commitment to the reduction rates indicated in the timetable for stopping the use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC's) and shown in the figure.
- Completing the procedures for ratifying the Kigali Amendment, which entered into force on January 1, 2019, which aims to avoid a rise in the Earth's temperature by half a degree Celsius by the end of this century, by including hydrofluorocarbons (HFC's) among the substances subject to the Montreal Protocol and gradually reducing the consumption of these substances as they are among the most powerful gases causing the greenhouse effect. These compounds have many uses in some sectors, including refrigeration and air conditioning, foam, aerosols, and fire extinguishing. These compounds are imported from abroad and are not produced locally. There are currently many alternative materials available in global markets. When choosing alternatives, care must be taken to ensure that they are ozone-friendly and climate-friendly (with a low warming coefficient), achieve efficiency in performance and reduce energy consumption. According to this amendment, the baseline will be calculated based on Egypt's average consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) during the years 2020, 2021 and 2022, in addition to 65% of Egypt's baseline consumption of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) (estimated at 386 Ozone Depletion Factors), provided that the gradual reduction in annual consumption of these materials is committed to as follows:
| Egyptian Obligations | Time period for implementation |
|---|---|
| Freeze consumption at baseline | 2024 - 2028 |
| Reduce consumption by 10% from baseline | 2029 - 2034 |
| Reduce consumption by 30% from baseline | 2035 - 2039 |
| Reduce consumption by 50% from baseline | 2040 - 2044 |
| Reduce consumption by 80% from baseline | 2045 and beyond |