United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction Asia Pacific Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) team in collaboration with the Government of Australia and the Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturers Association of Australia (AREMA) jointly organized the Second Training-the-Trainers Workshop on Good Servicing Practices (GSP) in Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning (RAC) Sector. The workshop contributes to enabling the 12 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) to completely phase out of remaining hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) consumption.
As part of the Regional HCFC Phase-out Management Plan or HPMP implementation, 12 PICs comprising Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu are obligated to completely phase out the remaining HCFC consumption by 1 January 2030. The Government of Australia invited UNEP to join hands in the implementation of its component, which is related to RAC technician training and certification.
With an emphasis on strengthening technical expertise, the second training workshop aimed to equip the newly nominated master trainers from the PICs with the requisite knowledge and skills to effectively implement Good Servicing Practices in the RAC sector through extensive theoretical and practical training delivered by experienced trainers of Australia.
“The workshop was fantastic, we really learned and appreciated being part of these new changes in the RAC industries and this workshop. The trainers were very knowledgeable, and our knowledge and skills gained were practical. The Institution has the best resources for us to learn and exercise hands-on. We learnt tremendously about the new refrigerants, technologies, and RAC equipment,”’ said the group of newly nominated master trainers of technicians."
Gained expertise will be utilized to support the National Ozone Officers in the planning and delivery of GSP training to local RAC technicians under their national HPMP. The new master trainers are expected to strengthen their capacities and skills and be sensitized on a) GSP procedures and techniques, including handling emerging alternative technologies, recovery of refrigerants, enhancing/maintaining energy efficiency, b) operation and maintenance of RAC servicing tools to allow them to properly handle RAC equipment, and c) effective approach for delivery of GSP training for local RAC technicians.
A total of 20 participants attended the training workshop including 13 RAC master trainers nominated by the National Ozone Unit (NOU), resources persons, and UNEP CAP staff.
UNEP CAP team expressed its appreciation to the Government of Australia, AREMA, and the PICs for their active presence, participation, and contribution to the training. Their determined dedication to upholding the Montreal Protocol and acquired knowledge and skills will equip them to make greater impacts within their respective countries. The training was supported by UNEP OzonAction CAP team, Asia and the Pacific Office as part of the HPMP funded under the Multilateral Fund.
Source: UNEP
