A meeting was held at the “Archabil” Hotel in Ashgabat where representatives of government agencies and industrial enterprises discussed national plans for implementing the provisions of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, aimed at reducing the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

 

The event was organized by the Ozone Center under the Ministry of Environmental Protection, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and a representative of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

 

The meeting brought together representatives of various ministries and departments, the state concerns “Turkmengas” and “Turkmennebit,” specialized universities, as well as enterprises of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs operating in the field of refrigeration and air conditioning.

 

New projects and action plans related to the country’s climate agenda were presented at the event. Participants discussed the transition to a new generation of refrigerants that are neutral to the ozone layer and the climate. This shift requires equipment modernization, the introduction of new technologies, and retraining of specialists.

 

Speakers emphasized the importance of certification and licensing for specialists working with new refrigerants, including flammable and toxic substances. A training center equipped with the necessary facilities has already been established at the Yagshygeldi Kakayev International Oil and Gas University.

 

As a result of the discussions, deadlines were set for collecting data for planning and monitoring the modernization of Turkmenistan’s cooling sector and accounting for refrigerant usage. Turkmenistan ratified the Kigali Amendment in 2020.