Environment Ministry Organised 31st World Ozone Day in New Delhi

India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) organised the 31st World Ozone Day in New Delhi today. The theme for World Ozone Day 2025 is ‘From science to global action’, emphasising the power of scientific discovery to assist policy formulation and inspire international cooperation, demonstrating that collective action based on scientific evidence can protect our planet and its future.

The event was graced by the Secretary at MoEFCC, Mr Tanmay Kumar, and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in India, Ms. Angela Lusigi.

Addressing the event through a pre-recorded message, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr Bhupender Yadav, said that under the Montreal Protocol, scientists and industry worked together to eliminate 99 per cent of all ozone-depleting substances, due to which the ozone layer is healing.  By regulating the production and use of ozone-depleting substances, the Montreal Protocol has significantly contributed to Climate Change. 

The Minister also said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) development and implementation framework demonstrates high inter-ministerial and cross-sectoral collaboration in laying out actionable pathways. It provides sustainable cooling to meet cooling needs while neutralising its negative impacts.

Mr Yadav further highlighted the steps taken by the Ministry towards promoting of indigenous development of low global warming potential (low-GWP) refrigerants, including collaboration with the Indian Institutes of Technology.

Addressing the participants, Secretary (MoEFCC) Tanmay Kumar, said that the environmental perspective should be viewed in totality, including in solving problems relating to various environmental issues. 

The Montreal Protocol demonstrated that collective action based on scientific evidence can protect our planet and its future. He also said the initiative of providing training equipment to Industrial Training Institutes will lead to the development of a skilled workforce in the country in the Refrigeration and Air conditioning sector.

Mr Kumar further highlighted other initiatives taken by the Ministry, including mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), a campaign to promote and encourage a sustainable and environmentally conscious way of living through mindful choices and decisions in daily life towards an environmentally conscious lifestyle.

He also emphasised the importance of the flagship initiative of the Prime Minister, ‘Ek Ped maa ke naam’, which is vital for a sustainable future and the protection of planet Earth. Welcoming the participants, Joint Secretary, MoEFCC, Mr Rajat Agarwal, highlighted the importance of the Montreal Protocol in the protection of the Ozone Layer.

Addressing the gathering, Ms. Angela Lusigi recalled that World Ozone Day marks one of the most successful examples of global cooperation under the Montreal Protocol.

She appreciated India’s achievement of a 67.5% reduction target in HCFC production and consumption from its baseline, and the complete phase-out of HCFC-141b in 2020. She also underscored UNDP’s support to MoEFCC in equipping 120 Industrial Training Institutes with advanced tools for refrigeration and air conditioning training, linking ozone protection with green skills, jobs, and livelihoods.

Key Highlights of the World Ozone Day 2025

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAC) Training Equipment provided to Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)

The MoEFCC, in close cooperation with the Directorate General of Training (DGT), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), is providing Refrigeration and Air conditioning (RAC) Training equipment to 120 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the country, considering the institutes having RAC trade and geographical balance covering all the States/Union Territories.

The training equipment will enable the ITIs to train RAC trade students and prepare them for the installation and maintenance of the equipment using best practices. This includes handling low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants, which have issues relating to flammability, toxicity and safety, and enhancing their skills and competencies.

In addition, it will help in the development of a skilled workforce in the country in the RAC sector, considering industry requirements during the ongoing HCFC phase-out and the HFC phase-down, which is to be implemented as part of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol 2028 onwards.

Release of winning poster entry and announcement of winning entries from the online National level Poster and Slogan competitions for school children.

To create awareness among the students to protect the Ozone Layer, online National level competitions in the categories of Poster making and Slogan writing were organised for school children across the country, in collaboration with the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

For the event, 6,322 entries were received for the poster competition and 2,428 entries for the slogan category, through an exclusive web portal developed for the purpose.