Montreal Protocol continues to deliver on ozone reduction and climate

Source IISD/ENB 28 Oct 2024

A very detailed summary account on the international meeting addressing Ozone Depleting substances with the Vienna Convention, and Montreal Protocol. This is unlikely to make mainstream news, but provides important climate outcomes, and demonstrates the international treaty system when it is operating effectively. This is the little climate treaty that keeps on mostly delivering outcomes.

Thanks to the IISD/Earth Negotiations Bulletin who report on all the international negotiations, providing transparency.

The 13th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (COP13) and 36th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP36) ocurred 27 October – 1 November 2024 in Bangkok.

"Despite a few small setbacks and some late nights, delegates agreed that COP13/MOP36 was a resounding success. Parties managed to address a record number of agenda items in the most contact groups ever established, and adopted important decisions to keep the Convention and Protocol strong and successful.

On 27 October Australia reported on life-cycle refrigerant management (LRM):

in Australia, a coordinated approach with industry and a ban on non-refillable cylinders has greatly advanced LRM objectives;  

Source IISD/ENB One of the Australian officials

on 29 October Australia was mentioned a few times in the daily summary report:

AUSTRALIA welcomed the ORM12 report, noting it largely pointed to the need to expand and improve global monitoring networks, and looked forward to working with other parties in the contact group. (This relates to Report of the Twelfth Meeting of the Ozone Research Managers (ORM12) of the Parties to the Vienna Convention)

FINLAND introduced UNEP/OzL.Conv.13/CRP.2. AUSTRALIA noted some research and monitoring activities are on hold due to political instability, and asked if the Advisory Committee would cancel these activities and reallocate the funding. (This relates to Status of the General Trust Fund for Financing Activities on Research and Systematic Observations Relevant to the Vienna Convention (GTF)) 

CANADA, with the US and AUSTRALIA, noted the document on this complex issue had been submitted late, requesting to postpone discussions until OEWG 47, and requested the Secretariat to focus the information document on the possible import of the isomer HFC-245cb. SWITZERLAND underlined the need for clarity on the global-warming potential of HFC-245cb, noting the isomer is commercially relevant for at least one party. With NORWAY, he suggested informal discussions on this issue on the margins of this meeting. Co-Chair Brieskorn proposed that this item be reintroduced at OEWG 47 and requested the Secretariat to revise the information note as suggested. (This relates to  Isomers of HFCs not explicitly listed in Annex F of the Protocol)

 Outcomes of COP13 and MOP36

Here is how the Summary report described the outcomes:

"Meeting in plenary, a budget committee, and 15 contact and informal groups throughout the week, delegates worked in a collegial atmosphere and managed to adopt a record number of decisions on issues relevant to the implementation of the Convention, the Protocol and the Kigali Amendment, including on: 

• HFC-23 emissions; 
• Changes to data reporting forms for reporting on HFC-23; 
• LRM; 
• VSLS;
• Feedstock uses of controlled substances; 
• Enhancing the global and regional atmospheric monitoring of controlled substances; 
• Report of the 12th meeting of the Ozone Research Managers (ORM) of the parties to the Vienna Convention; 
• Status of the General Trust Fund for Financing Activities on Research and Systematic Observations Relevant to the Vienna Convention (GTF); 
• Developments related to metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) with low global-warming-potential (GWP) propellants; 
• Future availability of halons and their alternatives; 
• Further strengthening Montreal Protocol institutions: next steps (which addresses illegal trade in controlled substances);
• Possible compliance deferral for Article 5, group 2 parties; 
• Avoiding imports of energy‑inefficient products and equipment containing or relying on controlled substances; and
• Changes in the membership of the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP).

"Delegates could not come to a decision on strengthening the enabling environment to enhance energy efficiency in the cooling sector, to the disappointment of many small island developing states. This issue, alongside discussions on isomers of HFCs not explicitly listed under the Protocol and on changing the cut-off date for HFC phaseout, will be discussed at future Montreal Protocol meetings."

Despite some issues being left undecided such as on energy efficiency  and Isomers of HFCs, the summary report was positive for the future of the Montreal Agenda

"The Montreal Protocol agenda will remain busy in the coming years, and the workload of the Protocol’s subsidiary bodies, in particular its three Assessment Panels, seems to be ever-increasing. However, delegates expressed their feeling that the ozone family is agile and well set up for this work, which was buttressed at MOP 35 by the record replenishment of USD 965 million under the Multilateral Fund for 2024-2026.

"The next three years will bring a set of major anniversaries for the ozone family. The Vienna Convention celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025, the Kigali Amendment will have its 10th anniversary in 2026, and the Montreal Protocol turns 40 in 2027. These milestones provide an opportunity to create momentum, including by achieving universal ratification of the Kigali Amendment by 2026. Many delegations throughout the meeting stressed the importance of  universal ratification to ensure the global phase-down of HFCs and decisive action on climate change. Both UN Environment Programme Deputy Executive Director Elizabeth Mrema and Ozone Secretariat Executive Secretary Megumi Seki pledged their support to achieve this goal."

"Overall, parties shared that COP13/MOP36 reinvigorated the Convention and the Protocol with new energy and drive. As tired but happy delegates left the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok on Friday night, they headed home with the reassurance that the ozone family “gets the job done.” Maybe this is also because high-GWP substances like HFCs are relatively easier to effectively abate than carbon dioxide, one participant mused when pledging to return in 2025. Either way, the future begins today." 

The summary report also provides much in background context, if you are just coming across this important area of international negotiations and Treaty.

References 

IISD/ENB, 13th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (COP13) and 36th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP36) - Summary report, 27 October – 1 November 2024 https://enb.iisd.org/montreal-protocol-ozone-mop36-vienna-convention-cop13-summary