Harnessing the power
of the media to help phase-out Ozone Depleting
Substances in Africa
Bamako (Mali)/Nairobi (Kenya), 27 June 2011
- The United Nations
Environment Programme's Regional Office
for Africa (UNEP-ROA) has today launched
the 2011 Ozone Africa Media Award in Bamako,
Mali.
The award was announced
at the thematic workshop on compliance with
CFC phase out and preparation of Hydro chlorofluorocarbons
(HCFC) Phase out Management Plans (HPMP)
in French speaking North and West Africa
that is being held in the capital city of
Mali at the initiative of the UNEP Ozone
Compliance Assistance Programme from 27-30
June 2011.
The Ozone Africa Media
Award, which was established in 2010, encourages
highest standards of excellence in environmental
and scientific reporting, focusing on how
ozone issues are addressed in Africa.
The award places emphasis
on compelling stories with a human face,
showing how the consequences of a global
environmental issue can affect us and how
we as individuals can be part of the solution.
The Regional Coordinator
of UNEP Ozone Compliance Assistance Programme
in Africa, Jeremy Bazye said: "We have
developed a strategic partnership with journalists,
which materializes in the provision of capacity
building in environmental reporting and
information sharing. We need to consolidate
this important capital. This competition
provides another great opportunity to harness
the power of the media and further engage
journalists in the work lying before us."
The best examples of
journalistic practice in the coverage of
Ozone issues in Africa in print, audio-visual
and electronic media will be awarded also
bearing in mind the specific conditions
in which the work is being carried out.
The competition will
run through to 10 September 2011 and the
winners will be announced on the International
Day for Ozone preservation on 16 September.
The thematic workshop
on compliance with CFC phase out and preparation
of HCFC Phase out Management Plans brings
together Ozone Officers from 13 countries
in North and West Africa alongside journalists
from 11 countries and representatives of
the implementing agencies of the Multilateral
Fund for the implementation of the Montreal
protocole on the phase out of the Ozone
depleting substances (ODS).
The 4-day workshop aims
to assess the compliance status of African
countries towards plans for total phase
out of ODS. The meeting is expected to deliver
specific recommendations on the implementation
of Montreal Protocol activities and the
way to address challenges faced by Ozone
Offiers including on issues related to awareness
and public participation.
Note to Editors
Entries for the Ozone
Africa Media Award will be submitted online.
The details of the award are available in
English, French and Portuguese on the following
website: http://www.unep.org/roa
Information materials
for Journalists:
As part of its efforts
to strengthen the capacity of Journalists
to report on issues related to the phase
out of Ozone depleting substances, UNEP
OzonAction and Grid Arendal in collaboration
with Zoï Environment Network produced
the Second edition of the "Vital Ozone
Graphics 2-", a resource kit for journalists.
"Vital Ozone Graphics"
sheds a light onto the major decisions taken
by the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
to accelerate the phase out of Hydro chlorofluorocarbons
(HCFCs) and the implications this has on
the use of replacement chemicals. It also
focuses on the links to climate both physically
up in the air and on the institutional ground
of international treaty negotiations and
discusses the remaining challenges posed
by the large amounts of ozone killer banks
still present in equipment in use.
The Vital Ozone Graphics
2 - Climate Link (Resource Kit for journalists)
is available on http://www.grida.no/publications/vg/ozone2/ebook.aspx
