Governments Agree to Accelerated
'Freeze and Phase-out" of Ozone and
Climate-Damaging Chemicals at Montreal Protocol's
20th Anniversary Celebrations
Montreal/Nairobi, 22 September 2007 - An
historic agreement to tackle the twin challenges
of protecting the ozone layer and combating
climate change has been agreed by governments.
Nations signed up to an accelerated freeze
and phase out of substances known as hydrochlorflurocarbons
(HCFCs) under the 20 year-old Montreal Protocol-
the UNEP treaty established in 1987 to protect
the Earth's ozone layer from chemical attack.
The decision, including an agreement that
sufficient funding will be made available
to achieve the strategy, follows mounting
evidence that HCFCs contribute to global
warming.
HCFCs emerged as replacement chemicals
in the 11000s for in air conditioning, some
forms of refrigeration equipment and foams
following an earlier decision to phase-out
older and more ozone-damaging chemicals
known as CFCs or chloroflurocarbons.
Governments meeting in the Canadian city
agreed at the close to freeze production
of HCFCs in 2013 and bring forward the final
phase-out date of these chemicals by ten
years.
The acceleration may also assist in restoring
the health of the ozone layer?the high flying
gas that filters out damaging levels of
ultra violet light?by a few years too.
Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General
and UNEP Executive Director, praised the
decision taken at the 20th anniversary celebrations
of the Montreal Protocol calling it an 'important
and quick win' for combating climate change.
"Historic is an often over-used word
but not in the case of this agreement made
in Montreal. Governments had a golden opportunity
to deal with the twin challenges of climate
change and protecting the ozone layer?and
governments took it. The precise and final
savings in terms of greenhouse gas emissions
could amount to several billions of tonnes
illustrating the complementarities of international
environmental agreements," he said.
Mr Steiner also congratulated the government
of Canada and John Baird, the Canadian Environment
Minister, for hosting a successful meeting.
He said the spotlight now moves to New
York where, on 24 September, the UN Secretary-
General Ban Ki Moon is hosting a Heads of
State meeting on climate change.
The meeting will help to build confidence
in the run up to the UN climate convention
negotiations scheduled in Bali, Indonesia,
in December. Here nations need to get down
in earnest to negotiate an international
greenhouse gas emissions reductions agreement
to kick in post-2012.
Mr Steiner said:" I believe the agreement
and the spirit of Montreal can build confidence
in the United Nations as a platform for
negotiating effective agreements for addressing
the environmental challenges of our time".
"Montreal underlines that when nations
are united they can achieve a great deal
and on multiple fronts. It also underlines
how international treaties?in this case
the UN's Montreal Protocol and the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change?can deliver
far more when we build on the scientific
consensus and mobilize the technological
and economic means to act," he added.
John Baird, Canada's Environment Minister,
added: "The Montreal Protocol, already
considered the most successful environmental
agreement to date, delivers once again,
to protect the ozone layer as well as the
most pressing issue of our time?climate
change. Today's announcement demonstrates
the kind of concrete action citizens around
the world are demanding".
The Agreement on HCFCS
HCFCs, which also damage the ozone layer
but less than CFCs, were always planned
as interim substitutes and were due to be
phased out in 2030 by developed countries
and in 2040 by developing ones.
However in recent years and months mounting
evidence has emerged on the growth in HCFCs
and the potentially significant benefits
arising in terms of combating climate change
and ozone loss if an accelerated freeze
and accelerated phase-out could be achieved.
Experts estimate that without this week's
agreement, production and consumption of
HCFCs may have doubled by 2015 adding to
the dual challenges of ozone depletion and
climate change.
Here in Montreal six proposals were put
before governments from both developed and
developing countries. They represented a
variety of options including the freeze
dates; reduction steps towards a final and
accelerated phase out.
Industry experts had indicated that, should
an agreement be taken this week in Montreal,
this would send a strong signal resulting
in the rapid development of replacement
chemicals and technologies.
The final agreement is a combination of
the various options proposed by Argentina
and Brazil; Norway, Iceland and Switzerland;
the United States; Mauritania, Mauritius
and the Federated States of Micronesia.
Under the agreement, productions of HCFCs
are to be frozen at the average production
levels in 2009-2010 in 2013.
Developed countries have agreed to reduce
production and consumption by 2010 by 75
per cent and by 90 per cent by 2015 with
final phase out in 2020.
Developing countries have agreed to cut
production and consumption by 10 per cent
in 2015; by 35 per cent by 2020 and by 67.5
per cent by 2025 with a final phase-out
in 2030.
It was also agreed that a small percentage
of the original base line amounting to 2.5
per cent will be allowed in developing countries
during the period 2030-2040 for 'servicing'
purposes.
Essentially this means that some equipment,
coming towards the end of its life such
as office block air conditioning units,
could continue to run on HCFCs for a few
more years if needed.
The 191 Parties to the Montreal Protocol?190
countries plus the European Commission?also
made an agreement on financing.
The Protocol's financial arm?the Multilateral
Fund?which to date has spent over $2 billion
to assist developing country reductions
comes up for replenishment next year. The
new agreement takes into account the need
for 'stable and sufficient' funds and the
fact that there may be 'incremental costs'
for developing countries under the accelerated
HCFC freeze and phase out.
Governments agreed here to commission a
short study by experts to fully assess the
likely costs of the acceleration. They will
report back early in 2008 and inform parties
on the suggested sums required for the new
replenishment.
Marco Gonzalez, Executive Secretary of
UNEP's Ozone Secretariat, said: "The
progress achieved over 20 years and continued
this week demonstrates to the world that
developed and developing countries can work
together to meet global challenges. Here
this week numerous nations including China,
India, the United States and the European
Union, demonstrated the art of the possible
and solidarity in advancing the international
environmental agenda on both ozone and now
increasingly on climate change".
Other Important Decisions Taken at the
19th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal
Protocol
Methyl bromide, a pesticide and ozone depleting
substance, was meant to be fully phased-out
by developed countries in 2005.
But 'critical use exemptions' have been
granted because some farmers producing products
such as strawberries and cucumbers to tomatoes
and eggplants argue that alternatives are
either not ready or cost effective for all
circumstances.
In 2005, over 16,000 tonnes of methyl bromide
were approved under the Montreal Protocol
and in 2007 over 9,100 tonnes were permitted.
Here in Montreal, governments approved
just over 4,600 tonnes continuing the downward
trend in critical use exemptions for developed
countries.
Notes to Editors
20th Anniversary Montreal Protocol web
site http://www.unep.org/themes/climatechange/ozone/
For More Information Please Contact Nick
Nuttall, UNEP
Regulation key to greener buildings