World Ozone Day on 16 September focused on cooperation to protect the atmosphere and reduce climate impacts, according to UNEP’s OzonAction programme.

The 2026 observance also marked ten years since the Kigali Amendment, which seeks to phase down hydrofluorocarbons. These gases are used in cooling systems and have a strong warming effect.

UNEP encouraged continued implementation of the Montreal Protocol and a transition towards safer alternatives and environmentally friendly technologies.

Source: UNEP · Source date: 2026-09-17.

File photo: Beech Forest (AU), Great Otway National Park, Beauchamp Falls -- 2019 -- 1271.jpg — Dietmar Rabich. Wikimedia Commons original · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized; cropped in cards. Representative image, not a photograph of the reported event.