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Overview

Belize became signatory to the Montreal Protocol in January 9th, 1998 and has thus far sought to implement all national obligations under the Protocol. The Government of Belize has successfully phased out Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAC) sector and is currently implementing the Hydro-chlorofluorocarbon Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) for the gradual phaseout of hydro-chlorofluorocarbon (HCFCs) in the Belize RAC sector. To ensure compliance with the Montreal Protocol, Belize has established a licensing and quotas system for HCFC imports and exports. The National Ozone Unit (NOU) in the Department of the Environment (DOE) is the focal point for the Montreal Protocol in Belize.

At the 19th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer held in Montreal in 2007, the Parties agreed on the “Adjustment to the Montreal Protocol regarding HCFCs and to “accelerate the phase-out of production and consumption of HCFCs”, thus calling for urgent action towards the phase-out of this ozone depleting substance (ODS).

As obligated under the Montreal Protocol, Belize is currently implementing an HPMP since 2010. This plan outlines the activities and programmes to be undertaken by the various stakeholders in the RAC sector to reduce demand and eventually phase out the use of HCFCs. This country has reduced imports of HCFCs from 10% of the baseline (average of 2009 and 2010 HCFC imports) since 2015 in accordance with the HPMP targets and is currently working toward meeting the remaining targets, to achieve consumption level below 1.91 tonnes in January 1st, 2020.

Also, the Parties to the Montreal Protocol have adopted the Decision XXVIII/2 related to the Kigali Amendment to the Protocol to phase down Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in the RAC sector. The Decision requests, in its paragraph 20, the Montreal Protocol’s Executive Committee (ExCom) to include the enabling activities to be funded in order to support the Article 5 countries such as Belize in the process of ratification of the Kigali Amendment.

Therefore, at its 79th Meeting, the Executive Committee for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol, under the Decision 79/46, further specified the types of enabling activities to be funded, and the level of funding to be provided from the Multilateral Fund.

Moreover, Decision 79/46 provides Article 5 countries with the flexibility to undertake a range of enabling activities to help their NOUs to fulfil their initial obligations with regard to HFC phase-down in line with the Kigali Amendment.

In this regard, UNDP and the Belize NOU is seeking to engage a suitably qualified national of Belize to be engaged in carrying out an updated survey of the import and consumption patterns of the HCFC and HFC refrigerants. This survey will serve the purpose of establishing the current consumption of HCFC and HFC in Belize and be used as a reference for the development of the HPMP Phase II and initial activities to phase-down HFC consumption for the country.