News & Events

Incineration of ODS and HFC from recycled cooling appliances in Ghana

COPA aims to support Ghana in consolidating incineration of ODS and HFCs from the recycling of cooling appliances and further relevant hazardous e-waste fractions. This initiave is implemented together with the GIZ programme on "Environmental Sound Recycling and Disposal of E-Waste in Ghana.

COPA Study Tour on Lifecycle Refrigerant Management in Chile

The Alliance for Climate and Ozone Protection (COPA) conducted a three-day study Tour to Chile, in collaboration with the Ozone Unit of the Chilean Ministry of the Environment (MMA), to learn about Chile's experience in the management of the life cycle of refrigerant gases. The activity was attended by 17 representatives fromthe regional COPA member countries Grenada, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica.

Groundwork for a public-private partnership targeting the RAC sector in Togo

In Togo COPA is working with consultantsby giving guidance and support for developing aproject idea inresponse to the call for ideas. The primary objective of this mission is to lay the groundwork for the development of a public-private partnership project targeting the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAC) sectors, as well as the management and disposal of electronic waste. The work of the consultants is divided into 4 parts:

Promoting Sustainable Practices in the RAC Sector through EPR in Pakistan

On November 13, 2024, the workshop on "Promoting Sustainable Management Practices in the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAC) Sector through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)" was held in Pakistan, organized by the Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance (COPA). The event aimed to promote sustainable waste management in the RAC sector by introducing EPR concepts and addressing key challenges in managing RAC waste, particularly refrigerants and hazardous materials.

Publication: Destruction of ODS/HFC in cement kilns

A new COPA publication is out: The Destruction of ODS/HFC in cement kilns. 

This guide provides the National Ozone Units (NOUs) and Environmental Authorities with the principal elements and considerations for implementing a Burning Protocol for the Destruction of ODS and HFC, starting from the identification of ODS Banks coming from obsolete or damaged refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) equipment to the refrigerant gas collection, transporting, and safe destruction in cement kilns.

To new beginnings: Towards a more member-driven Alliance

An Extraordinary Plenary Meeting was held, highlighting COPA's achievements and setting the stage for the future. Members shared their personal highlights and future plans, showcasing COPA's commitment to fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange. The meeting concluded with inspiring pitches for future projects, reinforcing COPA's readiness to embark on a sustainable, independent path.

Capacity building for technical and environmental handling and end-of-life management of refrigerants

In November 2024, COPA conducted practical trainings in Sierra Leone, Namibia, and Lesotho. These sessions focused on promoting good refrigeration practices to mitigate the environmental impacts of ODS and HFC refrigerant emissions.

MOP36 put spotlight on lifecycle refrigerant management

From 28 October to 1 November 2024, Bangkok welcomed all member parties to the Montreal Protocol at this year’s combined thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP13) and Thirty-Sixth Meeting of the Parties (MOP36). And the topic of lifecycle refrigerant management (LRM) was a central one: The day before, the Ozone Secretariat hosted an LRM workshop which was attended by most of the COP13/MOP36 participants. 

Publication: Methodology Report for Pilot on Refrigerant Recycling in China’s Automotive Maintenance Industry

In an online event on November 7th, COPA member got the opportunity to learn the details about the methodology developed to calculate the emissions baseline in the COPA pilot for recycling refrigerants from passenger cars serviced in a workshop in the Guangzhou metropolitan area. Also the cacluations and boundaries for the estimated potential emissions reductions from different mitigation scenarios where explained. 

First Meeting of Women in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning in Mexico

On 15 and 16 October 2024, the first workshop for women in the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump (RACHP) sector was held in Mérida, Mexico. The workshop aimed to provide a space to promote the participation of women in the RACHP sector by developing role models of women leaders in the sector and encouraging the participants to promote the participation of other women.

Publication: Key Report on Refrigerant Recycling in China’s Automotive Maintenance Industry

On October 22nd, COPA hosted an online event to release the report “Demonstration Report on Refrigerant Recycling in China’s Automotive Maintenance Industry.” The report show how standardized refrigerant recycling practices, including technology and training, in car workshops can contribute to substantial HFC emission reductions based on data collected in a pilot in Guangzhou in southern China.

ODS & HFC Projects Eligibility under Article 6

Thinking about participating in Article 6 with your project but don’t know if you can? COPA got the answer. In an online session on 5th of September 2024, Ayse Frey & Jorge Lujan from Energy Changes presented the results from their study about the Eligibility of ODS/HFC destruction or reclamation projects under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women in the Cooling Sector

The refrigeration and air conditioning sector has an increasing role in ensuring sustainable livelihoods, including safe access to food and health. However, women are underrepresented in the sector, with participation ranging from 8-30% in different regions. Being committed to promote gender equality in end-of-life-management of refrigerants, COPA organized two awareness raising workshops in August 2024 for its members.  

Call for Ideas

We are excited to share that, thanks to the ideas submitted to COPA, several groundbreaking ideas are now receiving the support they need to move forward. Among these promising initiatives is a study focused on the eligibility of ODS/HFC destruction or reclamation projects under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement that was sent by Energy Changes.

Get ready for finance - Financing for project development

There are many good ideas and technical solutions among the COPA members on how to move towards a sustainable management of ODS and HFC banks. Securing financing for implementing these ideas, e.g. from international donors or climate finance, is not easy. Why is that?
In an online-session on 14th August 2024, Tobias Hunzai, senior sustainable finance expert, shared insights on what project developers can do to make their project and business ideas more “ready” to access financing.

How to accelerate the destruction of ODF waste - OEWG46 Side Event on the Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance:

Each year, approximately 1.5 Gt CO2-eq are released from improperly managed or disposed refrigerants. This corresponds to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 441 coal-fired power plants. Currently, neither the Montreal Protocol nor other international agreements address the challenge of accumulating ODS and HFC banks in old cooling equipment. The Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance (COPA) puts a spotlight on the topic. This side event at OEWG46 in Montreal organized by GIZ Proklima and UNIDO reflected on the important role of COPA as well as on the lessons learned and best practices after two years of its operation. 

How to prepare national inventories of ODS banks - Workshop at OEWG46 in Montreal

Almost a hundred participants from 32 developing countries and expert organisations participated in the Fluorocarbon Banks Inventories Workshop in Montreal on July 7, 2024. The workshop sought to familiarize participants with the preparation of national inventories of banks of controlled substances and national plans for management of these substances.

Energetic work towards Ozone Protection – Highlights of the second COPA Plenary

51 participants, 16 speakers from around the globe and countless insightful discussions – COPA’s second Plenary Meeting on 18-19 June 2024 was again a great success for all participants! A packed agenda covered two half-days of presentations, including several parallel sessions, with topics ranging from policy, finance, and technology cases, along with updates from COPA Steering Committee, the Secretariat and future outlook at the sustainability opportunities for COPA.

COPA goes Carbon Markets - new article in Carbon Mechanism Review

Discover how COPA is paving the way for smoother entry into carbon markets while tackling obstacles head-on in our new article published in the Carbon Mechanism Review. 

Click here to read the article.

COPA Refrigerant Recovery Training and Gap Analysis in Sierra Leone

Training for refrigeration technicians on the recovery of refrigerants and environmental preservation through responsible practices.

First COPA 101 Series – Carbon Market Introduction

The COPA 101-Series explane the fundamentals of Financing Mechanisms and is hosted by the TWG Financing Mechanisms, moderated by TWG FM Chair Louis Potok.

Read more to view recording. 

Exploring Global Best Practices: COPA’s Virtual Study Tour on Sustainable Refrigerant Management

In the spirit of education through exploration, the Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance (COPA) hosted a Virtual Study Tour for its members throughout March and April 2024. This unique initiative aimed to take COPA members on a threefold series of virtual visits to facilities of companies from around the world and sharing their strategies for effectively managing accumulated banks of ozone depleting substances (ODS) and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) banks. The virtual study tour was supported by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

COPA Kick-Off Workshop in Grenada

Grenada kicks off COPA activities with a stakeholder workshop and advances plans to establish the Caribbean region’s first refrigerant recovery and reclamation center.

Empowering Master Trainers at Lilongwe Technical College, Malawi

From February 19th to 23rd, 2024, a training of master trainers took place at Lilongwe Technical College in Malawi. The training was jointly conducted by COPA and UNIDO aiming to enhance technical expertise to operate and maintain cooling technologies based on natural refrigerants in Malawi. Six master trainers, of which 3 male and 3 female, underwent intensive sessions covering theoretical insights and practical applications.

COPA Webinar on Financing Refrigerant Management – including Article 6 of the Paris Agreement

On 24th January COPA continued with its activities in 2024 with a webinar about Financing Refrigerant Management – including Article 6 ot the Paris Agreement. The speakers Tilden Chao and Charlie Mayhew from Yale Carbon Containment Lab provided the participants with options to finance lifecycle refrigerant management. 

Click here to view the recording. Click here to see the presentation. 

COPA Webinar on ODS/HFC Reclamation and destruction technologies

On 10^th January COPA started its activities in 2024 with a webinar aboutODS/HFC Reclamation and destruction technologies and a review for Articles 5 countries. The speaker Manuel Prieto Garcia from HEAT GmbH provided the participants with insights into the recently published COPA study

“ODS/HFC reclamation and destruction technologies – A review for Article 5 countries”. 

Click here to view the recording. Click here to see the presentation. 

COPA Training in The Gambia: RAC Technicians in Refrigerant Recovery

The Gambia recently completed its inaugural two-day training program for refrigeration technicians, organized by COPA in collaboration with GIZ and the NEA. The initiative emphasizes responsible refrigerant use, climate awareness, and underscores The Gambia's commitment to environmental preservation and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

COPA goes COP28 – side event on sustainable ODS and HFC banks management

On 1 December 2023 the Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance was introduced to interested participants of the COP28 in Dubai. The side event was organized by GIZ, the COPA secretariat, in the context of the first Montreal Protocol Pavilion at a Conference of Parties. The focus of this side event was to highlight the climate relevance of emission reduction potential by sustainably managing ODS and HFC banks.

Click here to read the presentation. Click here to view the recording. 

COPA Webinar on the potential policy framework for promoting sustainable ODS/HFC bank management

On 27th November COPA started its threefold-webinar series addressing different facets of ODS and HFC banks management, including policy, technology and finance. The webinar focused on the sustainable management of ODS and HFC banks. The speaker Irene Papst from HEAT GmbH explored the results of a newly published study, "Potential Policy Framework for the Promotion of Sustainable ODS/HFC Banks Management".

Click here to see the presentation.

COPA on study trip to Germany and Belgium

Strengthening and expanding the network, deepening the knowledge, and getting some practical insights – that’s what the COPA study trip in November was about. COPA members from over 11 countries ranging from National Ozone Office personnel to private companies, academic researchers to financial advisors followed the invitation to Germany and Brussels to learn and jointly advance the holistic solutions needed to sustainably manage and reduce ODS and HFC banks.

Click here to view the study trip report. 

Potential Policy Framework for the Promotion of Sustainable ODS/HFC Banks Management

This study highlights the need for coordinated global action to address short-lived ODS and HFCs, estimating significant emissions from these substances, and empasizes that strong national policy frameworks can help manage these emissions, contributing to climate targets and ozone layer recovery.

ODS/HFC Reclamation and Destruction Technologies

This report summarizes information on the conditions, challenges, available technologies,
and current state of ODS/HFC reclamation and destruction practices in Article
5 countries. 

World Ozone Day 2023

On 16th of September, the World Ozone Day 2023, we celebrate the achievements of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in fixing the ozone layer and reducing climate change.

The World Ozone Day and COPA

On World Ozone Day 2023, COPA is celebrating the achievements of the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment together with the world community.

Driving Climate Action Together: Highlights from COPA's 1st Plenary Meeting

65 participants, 11 speakers, 19 countries, 5 thematic sessions – COPA’s first Plenary Meeting from 20^th – 21^st June 2023 was a great success! The agenda covered policy, finance, and technology cases, along with insightful updates on country activities and a warm welcome to the new Steering Committee.

COPA 1st Plenary Meeting and Introduction of the Steering Committee

COPA's first plenary session (online) will be held June 20-21, 2023. for alliance members only.  The objective of this session is to introduce the steering committee, provide an opportunity for our members to connect with each other and finally to present some of the ongoing pilot projects and the progress of the working groups .

Webinar: Sustainable ODS and HFC banks management through complementary action of the Climate Ozone Protection Alliance to the Multilateral Fund

On May 9^th, COPA hosted a webinar for National Ozone Officers and representatives of implementing agencies.The aim  was to present COPA's objectives and the efforts of the Multilateral Fund (MLF) to address ODS and HFC banks, and to identify COPA’s synergies with the MLF funded action on ODS and HFC banks management.

New publication on how to conduct an inventory of used or unwanted controlled substances: ODS and HFC Banks

On May 9, 2023, the updated version of the Guideline to Conduct an Inventory of Used or Unwanted Controlled Substances: ODS and HFC banks was released. in the framework of the webinar: Sustainable ODS and HFC banks management through complementary action of the Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance to the Multilateral Fund, it was officially announced

TWG TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS MEETING

On 3rd May 2023, the second meeting of the thematic working group (TWG) on technology solutions for ODS and HFC recovery, reclamation and destruction took place. 

COP27 Side Event

On 12 November 2022 the Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance was introduced to interested participants of the Conference of Parties in Sharm el-Sheikh. The hybrid event was organized by GIZ with kind support from EIA and IETA, initiated by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

MOP34 Side Event: Shedding light on a blind spot through the Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance

On 2 November 2022 the Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance was presented to interested participants of the Meeting of the Parties in Montreal. The event was jointly organized by UNDP, UNIDO, Tradewater, and GIZ, who are all members of the Alliance, initiated by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Vir­tu­al Soft Launch of the Cli­ma­te and Ozone Pro­tec­tion Al­li­an­ce

On 21 July 2022, around 160 participants, representing different countries and organizations, took part in the virtual COPA soft launch.

Kick-off meeting COPA in Ghana

On 27.07.2022 the kick-off meeting for COPA in Ghana took place as a physical workshop.

The aim of this workshop was to introduce COPA to the relevant local stakeholders and to discuss potential ways of organizing ODS destruction in Ghana.

Innovate4Climate Workshop: Raising GHG mitigation ambition in the cooling sector

On May 26, 2022 at 12:10 pm (EST) a virtual workshop was held on: Raising greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation ambition in the cooling sector by aligning Montreal Protocol and Paris Agreement agenda. The workshop was part of the agenda of the annual Innovate4Climate (I4C) conference.

Technology Solutions Working Group

GIZ and UNIDO launched the 1st Thematic Working Group (TWG) under the COPA initiative, focusing on technology solutions for ODS and HFC recovery, reclamation and destruction.

Event recording

Event recording | COP26 Online Event: Mitigation Potential of F-Gas Banks Management and Options for Market-based Approaches