The AREA–UNEP side event held in Bangkok during the OEWG, the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, attracted strong international participation. The meeting brought together more than 100 participants from different regions of the world, confirming the growing global interest in training, qualification and certification for HVACR technicians.
Marco Buoni, Past President and currently special delegate for international affairs, as well as Secretary of ATF, participated in the event.
Bangkok provided a particularly significant setting: the OEWG gathers representatives of the 197 Parties to the Montreal Protocol, most of which are also Parties to the Kigali Amendment. In this context, discussing technical skills means addressing one of the key factors for the successful transition of the sector. Without properly trained technicians, environmental and climate policies risk not being fully translated into safe, efficient and sustainable applications
During the event, the new UNEP–AREA publication was presented, focusing on good practices and skills development in the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump sectors. The message was clear: the future requires a broader vision based on global competence, global training and global certification.
The objective is ambitious but necessary: to build a system in which technicians can work across national borders through the mutual recognition of competencies and certifications, while respecting the same standards of safety, quality and environmental responsibility.
The Montreal Protocol team has shown that cooperation, compromise and mutual support can address global environmental challenges. The same spirit can guide the HVACR sector in building an international community of qualified technicians, capable of supporting the energy transition and the successful implementation of the Kigali Amendment.
