Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 12 February 2024 – UNEP’s OzonAction Asia-Pacific Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) team organized the Twinning Workshop for the Pacific Island Countries (PIC) Montreal Protocol Officers, Energy-Efficiency Policy Makers, and Financial Mechanisms Focal Points to Support Kigali Amendment Objectives.
The Twinning Workshop was part of a project that aims to increase climate benefits of refrigerant transition in developing countries by advancing energy efficiency in the cooling sector and enhancing policy and program coordination at national and regional levels. Held on 5–6 February 2024, in Rarotonga, the workshop was attended by a total of 52 participants, (35 male/17 female) including National Ozone Officers, Energy Efficiency Policymakers, representatives from the Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning (RAC) industry from 14 Pacific Island Countries (PICs), resource persons from Australia and the Pacific Community, United for Efficiency (U4E), and UNEP CAP.
"Enhancing collaboration between National Ozone Officers and National Energy Efficiency policymakers is crucial to bolster the efficacy of implementation strategies in the cooling sector and to guarantee that these efforts are in sync with overarching national goals related to ozone and climate", said Ms. Mii Herman, Senior Environment Partnerships Coordinator of Cook Islands.
With an emphasis on both policy development and practical implementation, the workshop provided guidance and tools to the participants for effective national energy efficiency policies that link HCFC phase-out/HFC phase-down with energy efficiency in RAC equipment, showcased examples of achievements from other countries and partners, and identified synergies and opportunities to combine resources from different organizations for broader impacts.
Considering the need assessment from the pre-workshop survey, key topics of discussion during workshop sessions started with the roles and responsibilities among ozone and energy officers and a summary of collaborative works between Montreal Protocol activities and energy efficiency initiatives. Insights into institutional relationships between national ozone, energy, and climate teams were exchanged. Participants also learned from successful policies and regulations that have driven the adoption of energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling technologies, as well as the key components of effective policies, including incentives, standards, labeling, and industry engagement.
Participants engaged in a vibrant discussion on how to improve coordination and information exchange between government agencies, NGOs, and private sector actors. Government officials were equipped with the knowledge and tools to promote both energy-efficient and low-global-warming-potential refrigerants. Participants also took into consideration the capacity-building initiatives to upgrade the skills and knowledge of relevant stakeholders to help ensure long-term sustainability.
"The workshop has taught me a lot about the connection between energy efficiency, phase-out/phase-down of controlled substances, and my work on climate change—all significant issues of national significance. It would be advantageous for countries to think about incorporating the HFC statistics into their submissions for National Determined Contribution," said Mr. Joseph Aitaro, Senior Climate Change Policy Advisor of Palau.
UNEP CAP team expressed its sincere gratitude to all the Pacific Island countries, especially the Government of Cook Islands who hosted the workshop, and resource partners whose active participation and engagement created an environment of community and shared knowledge.
The workshop was organized by UNEP OzonAction CAP, Asia and the Pacific Office as part of its approved 2024 Work Programme under the Multilateral Fund.
For more information:
Mr. Pipat Poopeerasupong
Interim Montreal Protocol Regional Coordinator, Southeast Asia, and Pacific Island Countries
UNEP, Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP)
Asia and Pacific Office
Email: poopeerasupong[@]un.org
