On 13-14 June, United for Efficiency (U4E) participated in the Energy Efficiency Twinning Workshop for National Ozone Officers, National Energy Efficiency Policymakers, and Funding Mechanism Focal Points in Maputo, Mozambique. The event was organised by the ROA Anglophone Network of UNEP’s OzonAction, and it was part of OzonAction’s Compliance Assistance Programme, which supports Article 5 (developing) countries in implementing the Montreal Protocol.

The Twinning Workshop was part of the Regional Network Meeting for English-speaking African countries, which focused on enhancing technical skills, strengthening regional cooperation, and developing strategies to address emerging issues. In this context, the Workshop aimed to support national policy development for energy efficiency in the cooling sector, share success stories, and explore synergies between different funding mechanisms.  

Energy Efficiency Expert Mr Mzwandile Thwala represented U4E with a presentation on the SADC Harmonised MEPS for air conditioners and refrigerating appliances, U4E Tools, and the critical importance of creating national cooling action plans. Additional presentations included promoting the Energy Efficiency of Cooling Appliances in Nigeria, Multilateral Fund – Energy Efficiency Opportunities, and the Ghana Ecofridges project implemented by the Ghana Energy Commission, among others.  

According to Mr Mzwandille, the workshop also aimed at enhancing communication and coordination among stakeholders, streamlining equipment adoption, promoting energy-efficient principles in projects supported by the Multilateral Fund, and exploring synergies between different funding mechanisms. “It also strengthens the capacity of Montreal Protocol Officers to adapt their programmes in response to the Kigali Amendment and incorporate energy-efficiency considerations into the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector”, he says. 

The workshop was attended by National Montreal Protocol Officers, Energy-Efficiency Policy-Makers, and officers responsible for implementing financial mechanisms from the Anglophone Africa Network. It is part of a series of Twinning Workshops created by OzonAction which will continue across regions into 2024.  

The series was developed based on the rationale that the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer will help protect the climate by phasing down high global warming potential hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are commonly used as refrigerants, and that promoting the energy efficiency of air conditioning and refrigeration technology and alternative cooling solutions can significantly increase those climate co-benefits.