Quito, 12 November 2018 – Delegates representing nearly 150 parties to the Montreal Protocol concluded their 30th Meeting of the Parties here with the unanimous adoption of a sweeping decision intended to strengthen enforcement mechanisms of this accord in response to an unexpected rise in global emissions of the banned chemical trichlorofluoromethane or CFC-11. The decision:
Ordered a conclusive scientific investigation from two assessment panels of the Protocol with the mandate to provide:
- Additional information regarding atmospheric monitoring and modelling, including underlying assumptions, with respect to such emissions
- Information on potential sources of emissions of CFC-11 and related controlled substances from potential production and uses, as well as from banks, that may have resulted in emissions of CFC-11 in unexpected quantities in the relevant regions
Mandated all the 197 parties to the Protocol to provide the latest information on CFC-11 emissions and potential sources, including:
- Regional atmospheric measurements as feasible and available
- Cooperation with the investigating panels as reasonable and as requested by the panels
- Participation from relevant scientific and atmospheric organizations and institutions to further study and elaborate the current findings related to CFC-11
Mandated a global review of enforcement measures under the Protocol beginning with:
- A review of measures taken at the national level to ensure phase-out of CFC-11 is effectively sustained and enforced in accordance with obligations under the Protocol;
- A requirement to inform the Ozone Secretariat about any potential deviations from compliance that could contribute to the unexpected increase in CFC-11 emissions.
The decision calls on the panels to provide a preliminary summary report to the Open-ended Working Group at its forty-first meeting to be held in Bangkok in July 2019, and further updates at subsequent meetings. A workshop to further examine the CFC-11 emissions is scheduled for March 2019.
The agreement is the result of careful negotiations among parties to the Montreal Protocol who met here in Quito, Ecuador, from 5 to 9 November for deliberations on a range of ozone and climate related issues.
Delegates also negotiated practical arrangements for the implementation of the Kigali Amendment, approving technologies for the destruction of substances controlled under the Protocol and adopting new data reporting requirements.
The Kigali Amendment is set to enter into force on 1 January 2019 and is expected to avoid 0.5°C of global warming by the end of the century by requiring countries to cut projected production and consumption of climate change-inducing hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in refrigerators, air conditioners and related products by more than 80 percent over the next 30 years. It has so far been ratified by 60 parties.
Additionally, in a bid to increase access to efficient technologies in order to maximize the climate benefits of the Kigali Amendment, the delegates asked the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol to consider how financial support for enabling activities might be granted to developing countries.
Addressing the representatives ahead of final deliberations, Tina Birmpili, Executive Secretary of UN Environment’s Ozone Secretariat, spurred delegates towards ratification of a decisive course.
“The expected benefits of the Kigali Amendment, and the gains already achieved under the Montreal Protocol, show how powerful we can be when we work together,” said Birmpili. “But there is no room for complacency. Safeguarding our hard-fought gains means tackling illegal use of ozone depleting substances whenever and wherever we find it. More importantly, it means stopping such actions from ever happening again by strengthening enforcement at the global level.”
Hosted by the Government of Ecuador, the parties gathered here also reviewed the latest Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion which revealed a healing ozone layer, global warming reduction potential, and options for more ambitious climate action.
At the opening of the high-level segment of the meeting, President Lenín Moreno of Ecuador underscored the importance of seeking inclusive sustainable development to “protect the house in which our children and grandchildren must live.”
He urged all countries to swiftly ratify the Kigali Amendment and called for continued financial assistance to support developing countries in implementing the Montreal Protocol and its amendments.
NOTES TO EDITORS
About the Montreal Protocol
The Montreal Protocol is a global agreement to protect the Earth’s ozone layer by phasing out the chemicals that deplete it. The landmark agreement entered into force in 1989 and it is one of the most successful global environmental agreements. Thanks to the collaborative effort of nations around the world, the ozone layer is on its way to recovery and many environmental and economic benefits have been achieved.
About UN Environment:
UN Environment is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. UN Environment works with governments, the private sector, civil society and with other UN entities and international organizations across the world.
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Keith Weller, Head of News and Media, UN Environment.
