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. Throughout the day, participants discussed all aspects of LRM, from countries’ experiences to technology solutions and the financing. Of course, many COPA members not only participated but also had an active part in the sessions.

Moreover, Ellen Michel, head of COPA Secretariat, contributed to two side events. The first side event on Monday was titled “Strong Workforce Development for Lifecycle Refrigerant Management: Lessons and Recommendations” and organized by Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). The event featured a panel discussion in which Ellen Michel reported on COPA’s experience in strengthening the workforce for LRM.

On Wednesday, Ellen Michel spoke at the side event “From Idea to Action: Creating a Supportive Ecosystem for Effective Implementation of Lifecycle Refrigerant Management in Developing Countries” organized by Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). Together with other experts from international organisations, civil society, and industry, Ellen Michel contributed with experiences and resources prepared within the Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance to foster effective LRM implementation.