Deputy minister to commemorate World Ozone Day
“A healthy atmosphere, the future we want”.
KABOKWENI – The Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, will commemorate World Ozone Day with the Kabokweni community and learners from ten surrounding eco-schools next week Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at the Kabokweni Stadium.
World Ozone Day is a product of the Montreal Protocol Convention under the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), seeking to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the ozone reducing substances.
South Africa is party to both the Vienna Convention for the protection of Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the ozone layer.
The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is celebrated annually on September 16.
This day has been marked by the UNEP to commemorate the September 16, 1987, when a group of twenty-four countries came together and signed the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer.
The observation of World Ozone Day aims to raise awareness on the threats of the depletion of the ozone layer from harmful man made gases and appeal to all industries and citizens to protect it by using products which are ozone-friendly. Furthermore, the department of Environmental Affairs intends to expose learners to environment-related careers during the event. The theme for the celebrations is, “A healthy atmosphere, the future we want”.
Prior to the event, the Department will accelerate its message to transit into the Green Economy by conducting an awareness campaign on atmospheric emissions to ten identified eco-schools in the Ehlanzeni District Municipality from September 10 – 13.
