The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Government of the Gambia, the Gambia Technical Training Institute and shecco have joined forces to verify the viability of hydrocarbons and CO2 cascade refrigeration systems in refrigeration and air conditioning in the country’s fisheries sector. During the official inauguration workshop on 5 May in Banjul, shecco presented international best practices to be potentially adopted by the Gambia.
shecco has made the first step in actively supporting the Gambia in avoiding a switch to high global warming hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by setting the right policy and non-legislative frameworks for a faster, safer and more beneficial uptake of natural refrigerants across the fisheries and other industry sectors.
Speaking at the official inauguration event for the three years project on 5 May, Nina Masson, Deputy Managing Director shecco and international policy expert for the UNIDO project, highlighted first results from the policy gap analysis conducted in partnership with the Gambia Government. The analysis intends to identify priority areas where legislative action and more effective safety and technology standards promise best results to fast-track the introduction of more environmentally friendly industrial refrigeration and air conditioning solutions, including the use of flammable hydrocarbon refrigerants and carbon dioxide cascade solutions.
Safer, more beneficial uptake of natural refrigerants
During an afternoon workshop, shecco discussed with participants from ministries and government agencies, industry associations, training providers and fishery plant operators potential measures to be adopted by the Gambia. All tool have proven to be successful in leap-frogging high global warming substances in developed and emerging economies.
“shecco is determined to support UNIDO and the Government of the Gambia in adopting effective tools for a faster phase out of ozone depleting HCFCs, avoiding at the same time a switch to high global warming HFCs. Taxation of fluorinated gases, incentives and investment grant schemes for energy efficiency measures and the use of low global warming substances, as well as effective safety standards are among the tools that can have an immediate and longer term positive impact on the uptake of natural refrigerants,” Masson said.
The Gambia determined to make a change
“You will agree with me that today one of the world’s most daunting challenges is climate change related predicaments, hence the need to control emissions of greenhouse gases and some refrigerants like hydrofluorocarbons used mainly in our air conditioning systems like those at the fish processing factories (…),” Ndey Sireng Bakurin, Executive Director of the National Environment Agency of the Gambia told participants during her welcome speech.
Bakurin also expressed her confidence that the UNIDO project could make a decisive positive impact on the fish processing sector – a sector currently struggling with high energy costs, outdated refrigeration equipment, lack of spare parts and strong dependency on imports from other countries.
Innovative co-financing scheme
Approved by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Secretariat with a grant of USD 495,000 and with co-financing from various partners totaling USD 2.4 million, the Gambia project aims to facilitate the adoption of new, climate-friendly and energy-saving technologies through policy measures, technology transfer and awareness-raising related activities.
The project is particularly innovative since, for the first time, it brings together the funding mechanisms of the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer and the GEF so that environmental benefits from the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances become eligible for a wider spectrum of financial support. Partners involved in the project, among them shecco, have contributed to the co-financing of the project.
About shecco
For more than a decade market accelerator shecco has been active in helping bring climate friendly technologies faster to market. shecco supports over 100+ partners worldwide in the HVAC&R sector, where the focus is on sustainable refrigeration, heating & cooling technologies using natural refrigerants. shecco offers a variety of services in three areas: 1) media, including online industry platforms, magazines and a catalogue of dedicated research reports; 2) market development, including market research, consultancy and public affairs services, as well as special international projects; and 3) events, including international conferences and national workshops.
Contact
Nina Masson
Deputy Managing Director
nina.masson@shecco.eu
Klara Skacanova
Deputy Manager, Market Development
klara.skacanova@shecco.eu
Media contact
Janaina Topley Lira
Media Relations
jana.topleylira@shecco.eu
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