LocationsNational Ozone Unit
National Ozone Unit
Institutional Strengthening project (ISP) for the Implementation of Montreal Protocol in Lebanon (IS XI)
Summary
Since 1998, Lebanon is eligible by the Multilateral Fund Secretariat of the Montreal Protocol for the funding of the Institutional Strengthening project of Lebanon every two years at the cost of US$ 198,515.00. The main objective of the ISP is to run the operations and activities of the National Ozone Unit towards meeting the guidelines and control targets of the Montreal Protocol.
Background
The National Ozone Unit (NOU) established in 1998 is the National Office responsible for coordinating, monitoring and implementing of all Montreal Protocol activities including ODS Phase-out in Lebanon. The objective of the NOU is to assist the Ministry of Environment to effectively and efficiently phase-out ODS, adopt policies and regulations, monitor procedures, and oversee the projects and programmes specified under the context of the country programme in order for the government of Lebanon to meet the commitments under the Montreal Protocol obligations, namely the HCFC phase-out management plan (HPMP Stage- II and other projects under the context of the NOU activities).
The NOU is supervised jointly by the Ministry of Environment and UNDP Country Office. The implementation of NOU’s activities is managed in close cooperation with the National Focal Point appointed by the Ministry.
Major achievements
- Enforcement of the ODS licensing system (Decree 3277) for monitoring of imports/exports of ODSs including the channels of communication between the NOU and customs, updating the list and registration of authorized importers of ODSs, and the procedures for issuing imports licenses which include issued quotas versus actual quotas.
- Meeting the 2020 obligations of Montreal Protocol through effective implementation and compliance with the HCFC phase-out schedule milestone of 53.2% reduction of the baseline consumption of Annex-C, Group-1 substances HCFCs (Hydrochlorofluorocarbons).
- Ratification of all Montreal Protocol Amendment and most recent the the Kigali Amendment by Law 119/2019 on March 29, 2019.
- Ministerial decision Amending the existing legislations and ODS Licensing System (Decree 3277) to accommodate the HFCs as controlled substances.
- Ban the use of HCFC-141b in all manufacturing sectors (Foam and RAC).
- Funding approval by the Executive Committee of Montreal Protocol for the “Institutional Strengthening project for the Implementation of Montreal Protocol in Lebanon (Phase-XII).
- Funding approval by the Executive Committee of Montreal Protocol for the preparation of the strategy plan for the phase-down of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
- Launching of the National cooling plan for Lebanon.
- Preparation of a 5-years strategy plan (2022-2027) targeting the refrigeration and air-conditioning servicing sectors.
- Completion of the curriculum upgrade/Amendment of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning vocational/technical education curriculum (BT courses)
Project outcome
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Meeting the 2020 and 2021 obligations of Montreal Protocol through effective implementation and compliance with HCFC phase-out schedule/reduction of the baseline consumption of Annex-C, Group-1 substances (HCFCs).
- Extension and increase in national awareness on dangers of ODS.
- Dissemination of information on new technologies and ODS substitutes to the industrial and servicing sectors in the country.
- Monitoring and evaluation of progress of implementation of ODS phase-out activities (Investment and non-investment projects).
- Development and enforcement of the necessary legislations in support of effective monitoring and control of ODSs.
- Compliance with the Montreal Protocol control targets through the timely data reporting (CP & A7) to the Multilateral Fund and Ozone Secretariats.
GESI Component:
All the activities and achievements under the context of the IS project in Lebanon throughout the previous years of implementation were designed to ensure maximum participation of men and women.
Gender mainstreaming in the project work plan is defined in such a way that aspirations, wishes and needs of women and men are equally valued and favored through the project activities. More attention will be given to the participation of females in the RAC Sector, especially on the level of teachers and technicians and encouragement of female students at the vocational school to get enrolled in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning specialization studies. The National Ozone Unit will definitely take into consideration the updated MLF guides for project submissions to include policies on gender mainstreaming.