Held annually, MOP 31 addressed issues like fostering sustainable cold chains, reducing food waste, and improving access to energy-efficient and low-GWP technologies for developing nations. 

Participants also discussed the possibility for cooperation in sustainable cold chains at both national and international levels. Iamge credit: IISD Reporting Services

The 31st Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP 31), took place in Italy in the first week of November. The MOP event considers and decides on issues put forward by the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties (OEWGP). MOP 31 convened from November 4-8 at the headquarters of the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FOA) in Rome, Italy.

In his opening remarks during the preparatory segment, Roberto Morassut, Italian undersecretary of State, Ministry of the Environment, Land and Sea, stated that the Montreal Protocol is an “inspiration for a transition to a sustainable world.”

René Castro-Salazar, assistant director-general, Climate, Biodiversity, Land, and Water Development of FAO, stressed the urgency for countries to work together to reduce food waste, noting it would be possible for “current food production to feed the entire world if waste were eliminated.”

Tina Birmpili, executive secretary, Ozone Secretariat, underscored the importance of energy efficiency for cold chains and food security.

How cold chain can curb food waste

Qu Dongyu, FOA director general, highlighted the impact that the sustainable food chain can have on agriculture and food production. He reiterated that there are clear benefits to phasing down HFCs and lamented the prevalence of plastic pollution in the agriculture industry. Dongyu stated environmentally friendly practices are a necessity for the agricultural sector.

Jim Walker, Sustainable Energy for All, who moderated the discussion on sustainable cold chain development, asked panellists what actions are needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which contribute to a sustainable cold chain. Castro-Salazar stressed the urgency of scaling up successful pilot projects and facilitating coordination between the UN and industry. Inger Andersen, UNEP executive director, stressed the creation of norms and standards and mentioned the Cool Coalition, launched in 2019.

Also read: Partners launch ‘Cool Coalition’ to save global economy

Countries voice their stance

• India described India’s Cooling Action Plan and recent legislation to increase farmers’ income by improving cold chains.
• Malawi lamented the partial coverage of cold chain infrastructure in rural Malawi.
• Maldives stressed the importance of an unbroken cold chain for population health and tourism since almost all food is imported through Maldives’ central port and then distributed across its 190 islands.
• Morassut noted that Italy is set to adopt tax incentives to encourage new technology development and job creation.
• Mexico noted that improved cold chains have helped decrease food waste two-fold and create 12 000 jobs and facilitated integration with international markets.

In addition, David Appel, president, Carrier Transcold, noted the potential for cold chains to curb greenhouse gas emissions significantly by reducing food waste. Liz Goodwin, director, Food Loss and Waste, World Resource Institute, presented the findings of a recent report with recommendations aimed to reduce emissions from food waste, including improving food production without expanding land use.

Andersen urged parties to incorporate cold chain plans into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the Paris accord. Goodwin called for increasing public-private partnerships (PPPs) to facilitate industry participation, while the representative from Mexico emphasised the importance of economic incentives.

Participants also discussed the possibility for cooperation in sustainable cold chains at both national and international levels. Morassut highlighted India’s efforts to link sustainable cold chain infrastructure development to energy efficiency, safety and design standards, and specialised training. Finland stated cooperation between governments and businesses can foster innovation, while Morassut emphasised Italy’s efforts to utilise PPPs. Malawi urged that cooperative efforts should focus on areas where infrastructure is currently lacking.

Participants concluded by emphasising the role that sustainable cold chains play in:

• price stabilisation;
• food security;
• enhanced profitability;
• more secure livelihoods;
• social and economic development gains;
• fair and just sustainability transitions;
• SDG attainment;
• research, development and innovation;
• synergistic action; and
• restoration of degraded lands.

Parties were also invited to sign the Rome Declaration on the Contribution of the Montreal Protocol to Food Loss Reduction through Sustainable Cold Chain Management.

In the Declaration, the Ministers of the 76 countries stress the importance of pursuing national action and international cooperation to promote cold chain development, including by using sustainable and environmentally friendly refrigeration to reduce food loss. There is a call for strengthening cooperation between governments, the Protocol’s institutions, UN specialised agencies, existing private and public initiatives, and all relevant stakeholders to exchange knowledge and promote innovation; this would focus on energy-efficient solutions and technologies that reduce the use of Protocol-controlled substances in developing the cold chain, thereby contributing to the reduction of food loss and waste.

A session covered Article 5 (developing) countries’ access to energy-efficient technologies in the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump (RACHP) sectors.

The Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) Task Force on Energy Efficiency concluded that technologies to enhance the energy efficiency of air conditioning and commercial refrigeration equipment during the HFC phase down are available; countries can use market policies and incentives to increase energy efficiency during the phase down of high-GWP HFCs; international and regional cooperation is key for market transformation; and Article 5 parties can benefit from capacity building and market transformation support.

The MOP requested that the TEAP prepare a report for MOP32 that addresses any new developments with respect to best practices, availability, accessibility, and cost of energy- efficient technologies in the RACHP sector in support of the Kigali Amendment.

New tool on low-GWP safety standards

the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Ozone Secretariat introduced its online tool for safety standards for flammable low-GWP refrigerants. The EU stressed that revised safety standards are crucial for the implementation of the Kigali Amendment.

This interactive tool presents a non-exhaustive list of international, regional and national safety standards relevant to RACHP equipment developed by relevant Standards Organisations.

Access the tool here.

Representatives from task teams presented a ‘synthesis report’ on the ozone layer, noting that:

• The implementation of the Protocol has significantly lowered the occurrence of cataract and skin cancer.
• The year 2019 has marked the smallest ozone hole since 1983 due to unusual meteorological conditions not related to climate change.
• The decline of methyl bromide in the atmosphere has ceased.
• Carbon tetrachloride (CTC) emissions are higher than expected due to unaccounted for emission sources and revised CTC lifetimes.
• Understanding ODS banks is key to understanding ozone recovery.

Source: r744.com

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