Monday, 16 September 2019 - This Monday, Rwanda has joined the world to celebrate the Ozone day with the theme: "32 Years of Healing." This year's theme celebrates three decades of remarkable international cooperation to protect the Ozone Layer and the climate under the Montreal Protocol.

On this World Ozone Day, Rwanda is celebrating its success with support to the Montreal Protocol especially the Kigali Amendment, which entered into force on 1st January 2019.

Kigali Amendment to phase down Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are potential climate-warming gases, will prevent up to 0.4°C increase in global temperatures by the end of the century while continuing to protect the Ozone layer. Therefore, by combining measures to reduce HFCs and energy efficiency improvements in the cooling industry, greater climate benefits can be achieved.

Speaking at the event, the Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) Eng. Coletha U. RUHAMYA said that it is our duty to keep working hand in hand to have a well-protected ozone layer, and thus ensure a healthy planet and a healthy people. “The required actions include avoiding using the equipment that contains the substances which destroy the ozone layer” the Director General added.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment Mrs. Fatina MUKARUBIBI said that Rwanda celebrates Ozone Day to create awareness about the importance of the ozone layer discuss on actions that policy makers, business owners and other stakeholders can take to keep protecting it.

The effects of Ozone layer depletion of on human beings are enormous and include skin cancer, increase in risk of cataract, weakened human immune systems, DNA damage as well as Lung Diseases.

Effects of ozone layer depletion can also lead to food shortage as Ultraviolet radiations from the sun disturb developmental and physiological processes that decrease the productivity of crops.

The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer marks the date of the signing, in 1987, of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.