On the occasion, and as part of its intensified effort to protect the environment, the six-nation GCC, called on government agencies and private organisations to phase out harmful substances including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that deplete the ozone layer. The GCC secretariat said in a statement that there is a need to intensify efforts on the part of the Gulf States, including Saudi Arabia, to contain substances like CFCs.
According to a report, the world production of CFCs would stop in 2010, the timeline set by the international accords. "As Saudi Arabia falls under the developing nation category, there are still a few more years left before all imports of CFCs would be banned under the Montreal Protocol," said the report.
The Saudi government has already banned any new equipment using CFCs. The problem is with the old systems that are still running on CFCs. The report added that the effort is to convince the users that it should not be costly for them to change, and moreover, they would be protecting the environment.
"The unified GCC guidelines have been issued as per international regulations for protection of ozone layer, the earth’s protective shield, within the framework of the Vienna Convention," the GCC secretariat said releasing the guidelines in the Saudi capital recently. Spelling out the salient features of the regulations contained in the guideline, the GCC secretariat said that the unified guidelines contain 26 articles with a preface.
The GCC unified guiding regulations fully comply with the provisions of all major environmental accords including the Montreal Protocol, the London amendment (1990), the Copenhagen amendment (1992), the Montreal amendment (1996), and the Beijing amendment (1999).
The unified regulation, which have been prepared in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations Environment Programme for West Asia, have already been approved by the Supreme Council, which is composed of the heads of the Gulf governments.
