Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 27
By Huseyn Hasanov- Trend:
An annual meeting of the Regional Ozone Network for Europe & Central Asia (ECA network), organized by the United Nations (UN) with the assistance of Turkmenistan's Foreign Ministry and the State Committee for Environmental Protection and Land Resources, is being held in Ashgabat.
The forum is attended by ozone layer protection experts, employees of the regional customs offices and representatives of international organizations.
An exchange of views on the latest achievements in combating illegal trade of ozone depleting substances (ODS) was conducted during the meeting, Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper reported May 27.
Ozone depleting substances (ODSs) are those substances which deplete the ozone layer and are widely used in refrigerators, air conditioners, fire extinguishers, in dry cleaning, as solvents for cleaning, electronic equipment and as agricultural fumigants.
Specialists of the Ozone Network presented reports, employees of customs offices shared their experience in this sphere, said the newspaper.
Regional officer for Europe and Central Asia of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Halvart Koeppen said in his interview with the newspaper that the parties of the Montreal protocol are conducting active work to eliminate hydrochlorofluorocarbons.
ECA network was created in 2003 and includes 11 developing countries which spread from Central Asia and Caucasus to the Balkans.
Turkmenistan joined a number of UN environmental conventions, including the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
Edited by SI