DILI, 16 September 2020 (TATOLI)- This year world is celebrating 35 years of the Vienna Convention and 35 years of global ozone layer protection, a day is observed to spread awareness about ways that are effective in protecting the ozone layer.
In a Celebration of World Ozone day 2020, Timor-Leste Secretary of State for the Environment, Demétrio de Amaral de Carvalho, said Timor-Leste, has an obligation to celebrate World Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer and thus he asks all citizens to protect ozone layer by using friendly household appliances.
“Let us protect our ozone layer by using friendly equipment instead of using harsh households’ chemicals which negatively affect the Ozone, to protect our environment for our future and the future generations as well,” Mr. Carvalho said during the commemoration of world ozen day 2020 at Xanana Reading Room, Licidere.
The theme this year is ‘Ozone for Life’ which reminds us that not only the ozone is important for life on Earth, but also acts as a reminder that we need to protect the ozone layer for our future generations as well.
In regards to this, the president of Permaculture of Timor-Leste (PERMATIL), Ego Lemos asks the communities to stop burning the forests as a way to reduce pollution in Timor-Leste.
“at the time when we want to contribute for the improvement of the ozone layer and reduce pollution, we must stop cutting the trees and improve the environment through planting the trees to preserve the water source and greening the land as well as reducing the pollution,” Mr. Lemos said.
According to him, one way to reduce the pollution is ask the communities to avoid burning plastic materials.
Deolindo Soares, Student from Chemical Department of UNTL University, consider forest fire is a harmful affect to environment and form that contributes to a negative affect of Ozone layer.
Thus, he asks all the citizens to stop burning the forests, and help develop healthy forest and and ask the government to create a policy to control people from burning the forests as a way to reduce pollution and protect ozone layer.
World Ozone Day was first observed in the year 1995 by the United Nation Organization General Assemby. This day is celebrated to create awareness about the importance of the ozone layer.
When scientists working in the late 1970s discovered that humanity was making a hole in this protective shield, they voiced out their concerns.
In 1985 the governments of the world adopted the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and took a decision to save the Ozone layer. Like the Montreal Protocol to the Convention, governments, scientists and industry worked together to cut 99 percent of all ozone-depleting substances.
Journalist: Natalino Costa
Editor: Julia Chatarina/Nick Kettle
