ROME, NOVEMBER 7- The 31st Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer started November 4th in Rome, and will be running until tomorrow.
Italy’s Environmental Minister Sergio Costa opened the High Level Segment, attended by 40 Ministers for the Environment and 700 delegates. The Ministers are discussing how the Montreal Protocol can help achieve a sustainable cold chain and a decreased food waste. The choice to discuss a green-transformation of the cold chain is based in the Kigali amendment of 2016, passed during the 28th Meeting of the Parties, which aims for a reduction in the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs): a driver of ozone depletion. The cold chain is a primary emitter of HFCs, and therefore of primary concern. Furthermore, the topics of food transportation and waste are relevant for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Attending the High Level Segment will also be representatives from the European Union, the UN Environmental Programme (UNDP) and the World Resources Institute. Efforts will culminate in tomorrow’s signing of the Rome Declaration, the content of which has already been approved by the European Union. (SB@OnuItalia)
