NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 16 — Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa has called for stronger global and national efforts to protect the ozone layer and tackle climate change.

Speaking at the 2025 World Ozone Day national celebrations held at Michuki Memorial Park, Nairobi, CS Barasa emphasized the importance of the Kigali Amendment in phasing down harmful hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

The CS reiterated that protecting the ozone layer was crucial for safeguarding the health of present and future generations.

“With climate change affecting the atmosphere, there is need for concerted action to address climate challenges through the Kigali Amendment, which was adopted to phase down hydrofluorocarbons, substances with high global warming potential,” she said.

This year’s World Ozone Day marks 40 years since the signing of the Vienna Convention, a milestone treaty that laid the foundation for international cooperation to protect the ozone layer.

The global theme, “40 Years of the Vienna Convention: From Science to Global Action,” celebrates decades of progress in scientific collaboration and policy action.

Kenya, which ratified the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol in 1988, has since embraced all five of its amendments, including the Kigali Amendment of 2016.

The country has also established strict regulatory frameworks under the Environmental Management Coordination Act to control the import and export of HFCs through a licensing and quota system.

Barasa highlighted Kenya’s progress through the Kigali HFC Implementation Plan (KIP), approved by the Multilateral Fund, which outlines the roadmap for reducing HFC consumption.

She noted that Kenya is preparing to submit a new KIP project to the 98th Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund for funding approval.

The Ministry has also rolled out the National Cooling Action Plan (NCAP) to promote sustainable cooling solutions across the country.

In partnership with GIZ and other international partners, Kenya has been training refrigeration and air conditioning technicians on environmentally friendly practices and distributing ozone-safe equipment to training institutions and hospitals.

Additionally, the Ministry has strengthened collaboration with the Kenya Revenue Authority’s Customs and Border Control Department to curb illegal trade in ozone-depleting substances and enforce licensing rules.

Kenya is set to host the Thirty-Seventh Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol at the UN Environment Programme headquarters in Nairobi this November, a move Barasa said demonstrates the country’s leadership in global climate and ozone protection efforts.

“We are protecting the ozone layer and mitigating climate change so that we, and future generations, can live healthy lives free from harmful ultraviolet radiation and the dangers of global warming,” she said, urging Kenyans to adopt environmentally sound practices.

The CS announced that beginning next year, World Ozone Day will be commemorated nationwide across Kenya to deepen public awareness on ozone preservation and climate change