Cooperation programme inked to enhance environmentally friendly professional efficiency

Oman Sunday 14/September/2025 15:09 PM
By: ONA
Cooperation programme inked to enhance environmentally friendly professional efficiency

Muscat: The Environment Authority and Oman Energy Association (OPAL) today signed a strategic cooperation program aimed at developing and implementing a professional competency program in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector. This initiative ensures the application of environmentally friendly best practices within this vital industry.

The signing is part of Oman's commitment to fulfilling its international obligations under the Montreal Protocol for the protection of the ozone layer. It is also an implementation of the Environment Authority's third phase of the Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) phase-out strategy, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The programme aims to limit the use of ozone-depleting substances and enhance the efficiency of the national workforce in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector.

This cooperation also translates the pursuit of Oman Vision 2040 environmental goals by developing and implementing a professional competency testing system for environmentally friendly practices for workers in the refrigeration and air conditioning field.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Abdullah Ali Al Amri, Chairman of the Environment Authority, and Eng. Mohammed Hamoud Al Naabi, CEO of OPAL.

The program focuses on achieving a number of strategic objectives, most notably: establishing a comprehensive implementation plan for a nationally and internationally recognized professional competency system; developing specialized professional standards, tests, and training programs that consider environmental criteria; qualifying and testing workers in the public and private refrigeration and air conditioning sectors; issuing accredited professional licenses to workers who meet competency and environmentally safe practice requirements; and contributing to the regulation of the profession by coordinating with relevant authorities to develop related legislation.

The program stipulates that both parties will exchange expertise, as well as technical and logistical support, and develop professional competency testing tools for agreed-upon professions. It also includes adapting the electronic platform to include professional tests, preparing for the tests, accrediting assessment centers and assessors, and providing professional license cards.