Dubai Municipality this week marked International Day for preserving the ozone layer. The day of awareness is scheduled each year for September 16 in accordance with the United Nations General Assembly’s guidelines to promote awareness among the general public about the risk of gas emissions that result in depletions of the vital protective layer. Dubai Municipality marked the event with a programme organised by the Awareness Section at the Environment Department on Tuesday. “This year is being celebrated as the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Montreal Protocol which was made for committed efforts worldwide to protect the ozone layer and thus our planet earth,” said Hamdan Shaer, Director, Environment Department, while he addressed the awareness programme. “It was in 1994 that the UN General Assembly announced September 16 as International Day for the preservation of the Ozone Layer. Marking this day, we all have to decide to minimise the activities that risk this amazing layer,’ he added. He said Dubai Municipality has planned workshops, lectures and other awareness events to educate students and children of this threat. Information on the ozone layer will be shared and an action plan made to fight against negative impacts on it. Dubai Municipality is also to give maximum publicity to an online video contest that the UN Ozone Secretariat has announced to help spread the message. This year, the UN observes the day under the slogan ‘Protect our atmosphere for generations to come’. From : Gulfnews