Subject: PARTIES TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL
3-6 JUNE 1997
Officials and Experts end session at UNEP
headquarters
Nairobi, June 1997 - The Ninth Meeting of the Parties to
the Montreal Protocol will take place in September 1997, in
Montreal, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the
Montreal
Protocol. In preparation for the meeting, nearly 300
officials and
experts convened at the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi from 3 to 6 June. There was
discussion of further measures that need to be taken to
protect the
ozone layer and assure its healing.
Professor Reuben Olembo, Deputy Executive Director of UNEP,
welcoming representatives from Governments, United Nations
organizations and environmental and industrial
non-governmental
organizations, stated that, if 1996 is any indication, the
ozone layer
has continued to deplete. The ozone layer will heal early
only if the
phase-out of all ozone-depleting substances is carried out as
early as
possible.
He enumerated six actions that have to be taken: First,
early phase-
out of methyl bromide by both the developing and developed
countries. Secondly, developing countries must begin full
implementation of the Montreal Protocol. Third, the
Implementing
Agencies of the Multilateral Fund have to work closely with
Governments in developing countries and reverse the trend of
increasing consumption of ozone-depleting substances.
Fourth,
countries with economies in transition must also implement
the
Montreal Protocol with the support of the Global Environment
Facility. Fifth, a system should be put in place in all
countries to
prevent new ozone-depleting substances from being marketed in
the
future. And lastly, illegal trade in ozone-depleting
substances which
still continues, must be completely stopped.
On the agenda of the meeting of the Working Group were
proposals
by six Parties to adjust or amend the Montreal Protocol as
follows:
regarding methyl bromide - advance the phase-out date from
2010 to
2001 for developed countries and establish phase-out dates
for
developing countries; hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) -
establish
production controls and advance phase-out dates for the
developed
countries; carbon tetrachloride - establish more intermediate
controls
for developing countries; set production baselines for
developing
countries for Annex A and B substances; and for all countries
- to
combat illegal trade, implement a licensing system for import
and
export of new, used, reclaimed or recycled substances and ban
imports of all used, reclaimed or recycled controlled
substances from
Parties that continue to produce new substances after 1999.
Other issues on the agenda were critical agricultural use of
methyl
bromide, metered-dose inhalers (MDIs, used for treatment of
asthma
and lung disease), MDI transition strategies, the
non-compliance
status of Latvia, Lithuania and the Russian Federation as
reviewed by
the Implementation Committee,
- 2 -
and the control of exports to developing countries of used
products
and equipment containing controlled substances as proposed by
the
African Group.
There was no consensus among the participants of the Working
Group regarding the establishment of phase-out dates of
methyl
bromide for developing countries. The Group of 77 and China
on
the one hand and two groups of countries on the other, made
diverging statements on this issue. The result was the same
for the
proposal by the United States to advance the phase-out in the
year
2001 in developed countries for methyl bromide. Proposals
for
control of trade with non-Parties, critical agricultural use
and
emergency use of methyl bromide gained wide support. Also,
there
was no consensus on the issue of tightening controls on HCFCs
for
developed countries. These issues will be further discussed
at the
Ninth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in
September.
There was an overwhelming consensus regarding the proposals
to
establish an import and export licensing system for
controlled
substances to curb illegal trade. The meeting recommended
the
essential use exemptions for 1997 and 1998 for developed
countries
and developing country status for the Republic of Moldova.
Other proposals which emerged from the meeting for
further
consideration are as follows:
- developed countries controlling exports of used
products
containing or designed solely to use ozone
depleting
substances;
- discouraging development or promotion of new
chemicals
with ozone-depletion potential;
- study to decommission halon systems and destruction
of
halons not needed;
- developed countries not to market any more CFCs;
- transitional strategies for CFC-free Metered-Dose
Inhalers.
A Secretariat Draft of the revised formats for reporting data
on
controlled substances was distributed at the meeting for
further
comments by the Parties.
Attendees at the meeting were notified by the Canadian
delegation
that, as part of the coming 9th Meeting in Montreal, the
Parties will
be celebrating the Tenth Anniversary, which will take place
on 16
September 1997, also designated by the United Nations General
Assembly as the International Day for the Preservation of the
Ozone
Layer.
For more information:
Mr. K. Madhava Sarma,Mr. Michael Williams,
Executive Secretary, UNEP Information Officer,
Ozone Secretariat, Regional Office for Europe,
Nairobi, Geneva,
Tel.: 254-2-62-3851, Tel.: 41-22-979-9242
Fax: 254-2-226-886, Fax: 41-22-797-3464,
E-Mail: Madhava.Sarma
@unep.org E-Mail: mwilliams@unep.ch
UNEP Information Note 1997/21
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