Namibia Advances Action Plan to Manage Harmful Refrigerants and Ozone-Depleting Substances

Namibia Advances Action Plan to Manage Harmful Refrigerants and Ozone-Depleting Substances. The National Ozone Unit under the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade, in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), hosted a national stakeholder meeting in Windhoek to address the safe management and destruction of Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODS) and Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) Inventory Banks.

These substances, commonly found in outdated and stockpiled refrigeration and air conditioning units, pose serious environmental risks by damaging the ozone layer and contributing to climate change.

While global frameworks such as the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment have successfully guided countries in reducing the production and consumption of ODS and HFCs, there are still gaps in how to manage legacy substances already in storage or use. Namibia is now taking steps to fill this gap.

This collaborative session forms the basis for the development of a National Action Plan that will guide Namibia in responsibly phasing out and disposing of these harmful substances. The plan aims to ensure that the country’s approach is both environmentally sound and aligned with international standards.

Namibia’s efforts reflect its broader commitment to global environmental goals, particularly the protection of the ozone layer and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through evidence-based policymaking.