Saudi Arabia’s National Ozone Unit at the National Center for Environmental Compliance and UNEP OzonAction Compliance Assistance Programme in West Asia held two national consultation meetings in Saudi Arabia on 5–6 May 2026 to support implementation of the Montreal Protocol.
The meetings brought together more than 30 representatives from ministries and national authorities involved in Montreal Protocol implementation and related national policies and regulations.
The first meeting addressed proposed updates to ozone layer protection policies and regulations. Discussions covered technical regulations on refrigerant leakage prevention, recovery, recycling, reclamation and destruction, as well as licensing requirements for workshops and service establishments handling refrigerants.
Participants also discussed an integrated national data system for refrigerant trade and use, improvements to the professional licensing system for the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector, regulation of the informal sector, and stronger monitoring and enforcement for substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol and its amendments.
The second meeting focused on proposed updated licensing regulations for refrigeration and air-conditioning technicians in Saudi Arabia. The proposed framework is intended to support technical competency, environmental compliance and safe refrigerant handling, while contributing to national obligations on ozone-depleting substances and HFCs.
Participants emphasized joint action and the use of existing national systems and institutional arrangements to improve coordination among stakeholders and support Saudi Arabia’s transition toward sustainable and climate-friendly cooling practices.