One of the pressing global issues is the damage that has been done to the ozone layer and unfortunately is still happening mainly due to the use of what are termed ozone depleting  substances (ODS) such as aerosol sprays etc. The damage to the ozone layer has serious consequences to human health and of course is closely linked to global warming which in turn affects weather patterns and climatic conditions.
Therefore this issue should be a foremost concern of all countries and as such every effort should be made to repair the damage and to prevent further damage in the future.
According to scientific experts since the ozone layer absorbs UVB ultraviolet light from the Sun, ozone layer depletion is expected to increase surface UVB levels, which could lead to damage, including increases in skin cancer. This was the reason for the Montreal Protocol. Although decreases in stratospheric ozone are well-tied to CFCs and there are good theoretical reasons to believe that decreases in ozone will lead to increases in surface UVB, there is no direct observational evidence linking ozone depletion to higher incidence of skin cancer in human beings. This is partly due to the fact that UVA, which has also been implicated in some forms of skin cancer, is not absorbed by ozone, and it is nearly impossible to control statistics for lifestyle changes in the populace.
The main public concern regarding the ozone hole has been the effects of increased surface UV and microwave radiation on human health. So far, ozone depletion in most locations has been typically a few percent and, as noted above, no direct evidence of health damage is available in most latitudes. Were the high levels of depletion seen in the ozone hole ever to be common across the globe, the effects could be substantially more dramatic. As the ozone hole over Antarctica has in some instances grown so large as to reach southern parts of Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, and South Africa, environmentalists have been concerned that the increase in surface UV could be significant.
The higher energy UV radiation absorbed by ozone is generally accepted to be a contributory factor to skin cancer.
Against this background it is most encouraging to learn that the government is putting together a comprehensive hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) phase out plan which is slated to be completed next month. And Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud during a consultation has said it must be in sync with Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
Once completed, the plan is expected to be presented to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) in an effort to secure funding for its implementation. Also, the final document, informed by national policies, is expected to be a reflection of negotiations by UNEP and the Government.
In addition, Guyana and approximately 195 other countries ratified the Montreal Protocol.
It is also good to see that personnel from the GRA, who of course will play a key role in the phase out plan, are being deeply involved in the consultation process.
Guyana, according to Minister Persaud, recorded zero importation of CFCs in 2008 which was one year ahead of schedule. This indeed is most commendable and is further demonstration of Guyana’s commitment in the fight against climate change.
“We are concerned about climate change,” Persaud stressed, as he pointed out that Guyana is vulnerable to its effects, which are already being felt in terms of the unpredictability of the weather and increasing concerns of a food crisis. He reiterated that the HPMP must be in line with the LCDS, since several activities under the plan have a direct link to the Strategy.