Second Southeast Asian
Country to Meet Obligations Ahead of Schedule
Bali/Bangkok, 9 November 2007 – Indonesia
will impose a ban on the import of chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) and methyl bromide in January 2008,
putting the country two years ahead of the
2010 schedule for phase-out of ozone-depleting
substances under the Montreal Protocol.
The ban makes Indonesia one of the first
few countries in the region to meet its
deadline of the CFC phase out ahead of schedule.
Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General
and UNEP Executive Director, said: "In
a few short weeks nations will gather in
Bali, Indonesia for the UN climate convention
meeting. Here countries must urgently and
earnestly address the need for a post-2012
greenhouse gas emission regime".
"Today's announcement by Indonesia
is a further good signal, among many positive
signals this year, that governments can
move on the climate change challenge. The
phase-out of CFCs was agreed in order to
protect the ozone layer. But new research
has shown that this phase-out has had the
double environmental and economic benefit
of also helping to combat climate change-CFCs
it emerges are also powerful greenhouse
gases," he added.
"And there are many other win-wins
that can be secured. In September, governments
also agreed to an accelerated freeze and
phase-out of HCFCs-also controlled under
the Montreal Protocol-specifically because
of their climate impacts. Perhaps if we
use our collective creativities we can pick
more low hanging fruit from phasing-out
of old, energy inefficient light bulbs to
more energy efficient buildings," said
Mr Steiner.
"Efforts by countries like Indonesia,
not only to comply with agreed upon targets
under the treaty, but also to meet them
ahead of time, is testimony to their commitment
to meet promises made under the Montreal
Protocol. Much time, effort and work has
gone into meeting these obligations, and
Indonesia and other countries in this region,
who are continuously working to meet this
2010 deadline, should be applauded for this
effort," said Surendra Shrestha, Regional
Director, UNEP Asia and the Pacific.
With support provided by the Protocol's
Multilateral Fund, Indonesia reduced consumption
of CFCs from 9,000 tons in 1996 to 2000
tons in 2005, used mostly by refrigeration,
air conditioning, and automotive sectors.
Consumption of methyl bromide, not under
quarantine regulations, has dropped from
140 tons in 1994 to 32 tons in 2005. Methyl
bromide is used for soil treatment and fumigation.
"We feel confident that the ban will
encourage consumers to switch to ozone-friendly
alternatives, although the main challenge
to effectively banning CFC is illegal trade.
At the same time, we also need to look at
alternatives for the use of methyl bromide,
which is on the rise in this region",
said Ms. Masnellyarti Hilman, Deputy Minister
for Nature Conservation Enhancement and
Environmental Degradation Control, Ministry
of Environment, Indonesia.
Growth in consumption of methyl bromide
in quarantine applications in the region
is more than 10% per annum.
To address these issues, Indonesia is hosting
a meeting that brings together government
officers responsible for the Montreal Protocol
from countries that are major producers
and consumers of ozone depleting substances
(ODS), including exporters, importers, and
traders of those chemicals, Multilateral
Fund implementing agencies and related organizations
in Bali today. The "A Special Dialogue
on Actions for Controlling and Monitoring
ODS trade in South Asia/ South East Asia"
is being held with the first Regional Enforcement
Network (REN) Workshop, implemented with
assistance from Government of Sweden, and
the Joint Meeting of South East Asia (SEAP)
and South Asia (SA) Networks of ODS Officers
organized by the UNEP DTIE OzonAction Programme.
UNDP is providing technical inputs for this
special dialogue.
The Joint Meeting of SEAP and SA Networks
of ODS Officers will take place 12-14 November
2007 following the special dialogue hosted
by Indonesia and REN Workshop, 8-10 November
2007 in Bali, Indonesia
Ms. Satwant Kaur, Regional Information Officer
United Nations Environment Programme Regional
Office for Asia and the Pacific,
Ms. Tri Widayati, Staff to the Deputy for
Environmental Conservation
Ministry for Environment
NOTE TO EDITORS:
Under the Montreal Protocol, which went
into force in 1987, ozone depleting chemicals
are being successfully phased out worldwide
with assistance from the Montreal Protocol's
Multilateral Fund. Ozone chemicals like
CFCs and halon have been phased out in developed
countries by 1996 except for small essential
uses. By 2010, production of ozone depleting
substances will be banned in developing
countries, including countries in Asia and
the Pacific, a region that accounts for
70 per cent of global consumption of CFC.
To date, the Multilateral Fund has already
financed activities to phase out of CFC
consumption in more than 140 developing
nations.
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEP)
UNEP is the United Nations system's designated
entity for addressing environmental issues
at the global and regional level. Its mandate
is to coordinate the development of environmental
policy consensus by keeping the global environment
under review and bringing emerging issues
to the attention of governments and the
international community for action.
Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete
the Ozone Layer
The Montreal Protocol on Substances That
Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international
treaty designed to protect the ozone layer
by phasing out the production and consumption
of a number of substances responsible for
ozone depletion. The treaty was opened for
signature on September 16, 1987 and entered
into force on January 1, 1989. Since then,
it has undergone five amendments, in 11000
(London), 1992 (Copenhagen), 1995 (Vienna),
1997 (Montreal), and 1999 (Beijing). Due
to its widespread adoption and implementation
it has been hailed as an example of exceptional
international cooperation with former Secretary
General Kofi Annan quoted as saying it is
"Perhaps the single most successful
international agreement to date...".
The global community celebrated 20th Anniversary
of the signing of this ground breaking international
treaty on 16th September 2007 in Montreal
.
About the Compliance Assistance Programme
(CAP) for Asia and the Pacific
The Montreal Protocol is at an advanced
stage of implementation. Developing countries
now operate under a "compliance phase"
which requires them to achieve and sustain
compliance with specific obligations, promote
a greater sense of country ownership and
implement the agreed Executive Committee
framework for strategic planning.
In 2002, as an Implementing Agency of the
Protocol's Multilateral Fund, UNEP responded
to this new compliance context by changing
its mode of operation and structure to better
assist developing countries with the implementation
of the treaty. UNEP's OzonAction Programme
established a Compliance Assistance Programme
(CAP) that moved from a project management
approach to directly assisting countries
with specific compliance challenges. The
CAP is delivered through specialized staff
located in four of UNEP's Regional Offices
and in the Paris office of the Division
of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE).
Consistent with the above approach the CAP
team in the Regional Office for Asia and
Pacific (ROAP) has developed to be the centre
for policy advice, compliance guidance and
conduct training to refrigeration technicians,
customs officers and other relevant stakeholders
on compliance issues, promote bilateral
and multilateral cooperation and promote
high-level awareness by utilizing UNEP's
staff.
For more information about Division of Technology,
Industry and Economics and the OzonAction
Programme, please go to http://www.unep.fr/ozonaction
Multilateral Fund Information can be found
at http://www.multilateralfund.org/about_the_multilateral_fund.htm
Regional Enforcement Network (REN) Workshop
The first Regional Enforcement Network (REN)
Workshop aims to enable the participating
countries to improve the control of illegal
trade of ODS and to gain better control
over their import and export of hazardous
chemicals and waste by promoting further
regional cooperation for the control of
transboundary movement of those chemicals.
