The Montreal Protocol began as a global agreement to protect the ozone layer and has become one of the most successful environmental agreements to date. Substances that deplete the ozone layer, known as ODS in short, are gradually being phased out all over the world, and as a result of global efforts in this regard, it is known that the depletion of the ozone layer has healed and in return, human health, economy and ecosystems are protected. The Montreal Protocol does much more than is known, such as slowing climate change and helping improve energy efficiency in the refrigeration industry, which contributes to food security.
The Kigali Amendm
ent, under the Montreal Protocol, contributes to the efforts to combat climate change. Under this amendment, countries have pledged to gradually reduce Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). While HFCs do not harm the ozone layer, these refrigerants are defined as very strong greenhouse gases. While the use of these substances will decrease, both the ozone layer will be protected and the 0.4? increase in global temperature will be prevented until the end of this century.
The Kigali Amendment also provides an opportunity to improve energy efficiency in the refrigeration sector. Alternative technologies to be used in place of HFCs will provide the opportunity to redesign air conditioning and cooling systems to consume less power, allowing comfortable cooling and increased cold chain efficiency without increasing the negative effects of climate change. Reducing the consumption of these gases and increasing the efficiency of the cold chain will also combat food loss, especially in developing economies.
The cold chain ensures that food, pharmaceuticals, vaccines and other products are delivered safely and temperature-controlled from the producer to the consumer. An unchained cold chain is an uninterrupted series of refrigerated production, storage and distribution activities with related equipment and logistics that maintains quality in the desired low temperature range.
Each year, a third of the food produced for human use globally is lost or wasted, mostly due to lack of access to the cold chain. Food loss and waste, worth billions of dollars in a year, not only wastes valuable resources such as land, water and energy, but also accounts for about 8 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions globally each year.
In Turkey, approximately 25% to 40% of the food produced each year is wasted due to inefficient and inadequate cold chain. In addition, product losses and food waste caused by cold chain breaks, in the simplest economic sense, oblige countries to import products from abroad, increasing the gap between imports and exports unnecessarily.
The cold chain is also extremely important for the successful implementation of the vaccination program. In the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has become a global crisis since 2019, the importance of an efficient and unbreakable cold chain underlies the vaccine supply, safety and storage requirements.
While the emission of the refrigerant used in cooling has a direct effect of 20% on global warming, it causes an indirect emission of 80% when the energy consumption of the cooling equipment is taken into account.
By developing cold chain solutions that are more efficient, more climate-friendly, and more affordable, cold chains will become more effective and widely available. This will give manufacturers such as farmers and pharmaceutical suppliers access to precooling, refrigerated storage and refrigerated transport, ensuring that products such as food and vaccines reach people safely and in good condition.
It will contribute greatly to the fight against climate change by improving the energy efficiency of cooling systems and transitioning to zero or low climate impact or natural refrigerants.
It will reduce the impact of each part of the cold chain on global warming by intervening in the systems and carrying out periodic maintenance activities by certified technical personnel who are qualified, reducing leaks and ensuring the efficient operation of the equipment. Technical personnel working with fluorinated greenhouse gases or interfering with equipment whose operation is based on these gases are subject to theoretical and practical exams by institutions accredited by the Vocational Qualifications Authority (VQA) and receive certificates. It is very important and obligatory that all kinds of interventions to the equipment are made by certified personnel.
The Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have been playing an extremely important role in the protection of the ozone layer and the fight against global climate change with the projects they have developed and implemented in cooperation since 1991.
On this World Ozone Day, September 16, we celebrate the endless efforts of the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment to keep us, our food and our vaccines cool!
The Montreal Protocol keeps us, our food and vaccines cool!
