Excellencies, colleagues and friends,
Welcome to Nairobi, Kenya, the home of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since 1972.
This 35th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP35) is part of the growing emergence of Nairobi as an environmental hub. A hub that unites action across the whole triple planetary crisis: the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste.
MOP35 here comes hot on the heels of an important meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Just before next month’s negotiations on the deal to end plastic pollution. Ahead of February’s 6th UN Environment Assembly, where we will seek effective, inclusive and sustainable multilateral actions across the triple planetary crisis.
The Montreal Protocol is, of course, a hugely important part of this united action. In fact, this agreement has been a trailblazer for over three decades. As you, the Parties know, the Montreal Protocol has protected human health and ecosystems by phasing out harmful ozone-depleting substance. And the Protocol has delivered huge climate benefits: many of these substances were also greenhouse gases and the ecosystems you protected now store carbon that would otherwise be in the atmosphere. My thanks for your hard work and commitment.
My thanks also to the assessment panels of the Montreal Protocol. Let me appreciate Paul Newman and John Pyle, in particular, two SAP Co-Chairs for whom this is their last meeting, and Keiichi Ohnishi, Co-Chair of Medical and Chemicals Committee, who is also leaving.
The 2022 quadrennial assessment reports the panels have produced raised important emerging issues for the Protocol to address, such as increasing HFC-23, very short-lived substances and some CFCs in atmosphere, and addressing the feedstock uses of controlled substances that are exempted from controls. The significance of N2O as ozone depleting substance not controlled by the Protocol, is also increasing.
These emerging issues demonstrate the importance of science. And they show how the Montreal Protocol delivers impact beyond its mandate. These findings, as well as the Montreal Protocol’s assessment process itself, are linked with important UNEP-led processes – such as the Global Environment Outlook 7, an important UNEP assessment on the need for caution around geoengineering, and negotiations on the science-policy panel on chemicals, waste and pollution.
So, friends, you have indeed achieved much. And the packed agenda at this MOP shows that there is a lot more work to be done. Please allow me to mention three out of the many challenges that I believe you can meet.
One, decisive replenishment of Multilateral Fund.
The funding estimate for the 2024-2026 triennium, at US$1 billion, is the highest in history. With good reason. These funds are needed to support action on phasing out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and phasing down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) – the latter of which is the central goal of the Kigali Amendment and crucial to slowing climate change. I ask you to deliver a decisive decision.
Two, full ratification of the Kigali Amendment.
A strong decision on funding will increase confidence and bolster ratifications of the Kigali Agreement. And make no mistake: we are aiming for universal ratification, the power of which was demonstrated during the phase-down of ozone-depleting substances. As of earlier this month, 43 nations still had not ratified the Kigali Amendment. Regardless of what happens with replenishment, I call on every nation that has not done so to close this critical gap by ratifying the amendment.
Three, a hard push on energy efficiency.
We know where the world stands on climate change. Climate impacts are becoming more frequent, intense and deadly every year. It is often the very poorest or those who have contributed the very least to climate change who suffer the most. At the same time, global efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions under the Paris Agreement are still not strong enough. As a result, the Kigali Amendment is becoming ever more important.
Yes, phasing down HFCs could avoid warming of up to 0.5°C by 2100, which would be a huge win. But you have the chance to double these benefits by taking advantage of the shift to new gases to design cooling equipment that is more energy efficient.
You held a workshop on the issue prior to this MOP and discussed how this is not just about slowing climate change. We need to increase the availability of, and access to, affordable and sustainable cooling: to protect vulnerable communities against intense heat and reduce food losses across value chains in developing nations.
So, I ask you to seize this opportunity with both hands.
I would also like to draw your attention to the Global Cooling Pledge, which is being championed by the United Arab Emirates and will feature at COP28.
The Pledge intends to raise ambition through targets on reducing cooling-related emissions, improving energy efficiency alongside the HFC phase-down, and increasing access to sustainable cooling.
Achieving the Pledge’s targets would cut emissions by approximately 78 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent between 2022-2050, improve the lives of hundreds of millions of people and realize huge financial savings for governments.
UNEP is supporting the pledge through the Cool Coalition. As such, I ask everyone to consider joining the pledge and mobilizing your peers on the road to COP28.
Friends,
I am asking a lot of you. But you, the Parties, have shown you are up to the task. You know how much we hold up the Montreal Protocol as an example to other conventions and treaties. When I attended negotiations for the new Global Framework on Chemicals in Bonn, I told chemicals manufacturers reticent to change their business models to look to the cooling industry for inspiration. I will make the same point next month here in Nairobi at INC-3, when negotiations on the zero draft of the legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution begin.
When industries use chemicals that kill and make people sick, harm the planet and damage their own long-term profits, they must change. It’s a case of adapt or die. Nations and industry, under the Montreal Protocol, showed the benefits of embracing and driving change.
So, I ask you to keep leading the way. Pass strong decisions this week. Show the world how multilateralism done right delivers big. And ensure that the Montreal Protocol continues to protect people and planet and be that shining example of what multilateralism can deliver.
In closing, let me extend my deep thanks to the chair and president of this MOP period for extraordinary leadership and wish all the very best to the incoming chair.
Thank you.
