WASHINGTON , Nov. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In cooperation with the governments of the United States , Argentina , Australia , The Netherlands , and Mauritius , the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development (IGSD) and the International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE) announced today new plans to collaborate with military organizations worldwide to collect and ultimately destroy unwanted ozone-depleting substances (ODS) that are also potent greenhouse gases. This cooperation is significant because military organizations have developed the technology, logistical strategies, and management practices that minimize cost and chemical emissions. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates recovery and destruction of unwanted ODS can avoid the equivalent of 6 billion tonnes or more of carbon dioxide emissions by 2015, which is equal to 3 years of Kyoto targets.
"The military's leadership shown by these partners will earn the praise of environmentalists and compliance officials from around the world," said Durwood Zaelke , President of IGSD, and Director of INECE, a network of over 4,000 environmental authorities in more than 150 countries. "Protecting the earth against climate change is an environmental security campaign that we all support."
"Argentina is proud to be one of the leaders promoting the climate benefits of the Montreal Protocol, and we welcome the opportunity to work with the technical logistics experts from the militaries of the world to continue these efforts to realize benefits for both the climate system and the ozone layer," said Romina Picolotti , Argentina's Secretary of State for Environment. "Our goal is to be first to benefit from this assistance to achieve the highest possible ozone and climate benefits at affordable cost. Once again, Argentina wants to continue demonstrating through our actions that developing countries are willing to take on their fair share of climate responsibility when technology and financing are available."
"UNDP recognizes the importance of proper ODS banks management and is already assisting several developing countries in integrating and sequencing separate sources of funding to protect both the ozone layer and climate," said Dr. Suely Carvalho , Chief, Montreal Protocol and Chemicals Unit, UNDP. "UNDP has established the MDG-Carbon Facility to finance greenhouse gas emission reduction projects that contribute to sustainable development and the Millennium Development Goals."
Partnership Overview
This partnership has a two-pronged "Start and Strengthen" approach to support collection and destruction:
1. Information Sharing
Partners will collect and organize existing technical and operational information on the Partner website maintained by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Department of Defense and will match owners of usable surplus ODS.
2. Consulting on Logistics
Logistical experts will be on-call to answer questions and will share the questions and answers via the Partner website.
Partner experts may provide information to Parties and enterprises seeking to properly collect and redeploy or destroy unwanted military ODS. Experts will provide information on least cost solutions, including: guidelines on secure storage to accumulate quantities suitable for shipment or destruction on site, how to design umbrella contracts for destruction at favorable costs, and options for redeployment of usable surplus ODS.
Partners: Argentina Ministry of the Environment Australia Department of Defence Australia Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts Federated States of Micronesia Ministry of Environment Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development (IGSD) International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE) Mauritius Ministry of Environment Netherlands Halon Bank Association Netherlands Ministry of Defence United Nations Development Programme United Nations Environment Programme United Nations Industrial Development Organization United States Department of Defense United States Environmental Protection AgencyFor more information, please visit: http://inece.org/news/militaryknowhow_nov19.pdf.
SOURCE Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development
