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EARTH SUMMIT+5
Special Session of the General Assembly to Review and Appraise
the Implementation of Agenda 21

New York, 23-27 June 1997

SUCCESS STORIES FROM ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

ODS (Ozone Depleting Substances) Officers Network in the South East Asian/Pacific region (ODSONET/SEAP).

Location Ten developing countries and three developed countries in the Southeast Asian/Pacific region. Developing countries involved: Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. Developed countries involved: Australia, New Zealand and Sweden.
Responsible organization UNEP's Industry and Environment office in Paris, in collaboration with UNEP's Regional Office for Asia/Pacific in Bangkok.
Description The elimination of the production and consumption of ozone depleting substances (ODS) in developing countries is not primarily a technical or economic problem, but as much a legal, administrative and informative problem. One of the main obstacles for achieving rapid phaseout of ODS is the lack of capacity within governments to handle ODS issues. The project is set out to do the following to develop a framework for efficient exchange of experience among ODS officers; to improve access to available information; to facilitate feedback, in particular to UNEP, on difficulties encountered by the developing countries and the need for further support in terms of information, training materials and workshops; to promote sharing of information materials; to initiate relevant joint activities among network countries.
Issues addressed Capacity building of developing country governments to phase out the consumption of ODS rapidly and efficiently.
Objectives The project aims to facilitate early elimination of the use of ODS in developing countries, including limiting ongoing short-term increases, and to encourage and facilitate developing countries to become Parties to the Montreal Protocol.
Results achieved Experiences of the above listed developed countries in managing their ODS phaseout programmes are shared with the listed developing countries. In addition, bilateral cooperation on ODS phaseout activities was established between the developed and developing countries in the network. The project also included the participation of representatives of the trade and industry, chemical and equipment suppliers sectors and the academic and training institutes. The project was a successful tool for strengthening the capacity of ODS Officers, building international and regional cooperation, facilitating technology transfer, and accelerating phaseout actions in participating countries.
Lessons learned The report on the study on the Financial Mechanism of the Montreal Protocol which was carried out under the recommendation of the Parties of the Montreal Protocol at its Fourth Meeting in 1992 concluded that the ODSONET/SEAP project had succeeded in influencing countries to instigate early measures to prevent the build-up of ODS consumption. The networking approach which was tested successfully in the Southeast Asian region is being replicated in two other regions: Latin America and Africa.
Financing The project was financed by the Swedish International Cooperation Development Agency (SIDA) and in-kind contributions from participating governments. The total SIDA contribution has been US$1.6 million since 1990.
Contact Ms. Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel, Director, Industry and Environment Office UNEP
Tour Mirabeau 39-40 Quai Andre Citroen 75739 Paris Cedex 15 France
tel. (33 1) 44371441, fax (33 1) 44371474
email: j.aloisi@unep.fr or unepie@unep.fr

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1 November 1997