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.

Progress at 35th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol

I am always surprised by the Montreal Protocol, the little treaty addressing ozone depletion in the atmosphere. It is heavily overshadowed by its big cousin, the UNFCCC, which struggles not to be seen as dysfunctional. 

Going under the radar, the Montreal Protocol  appears to make positive progress. Not only addressing the ozone issue but also acting to reduce climate change. Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) are also strong greenhouse gases adding to global warming.

The 35th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP35) has been meeting last week: 22–27 October 2023- in Nairobi, Kenya.

Ozone layer in Recovery, Montreal Protocol reducing Greenhouse gases set to avoid global warming by about 0.5–1°C by 2050

Photo: IISD/ENB OEWG contact group meeting

The Montreal Protocol, the little international treaty that reduces ozone depleting substances but also assists greatly with reducing greenhouse gases causing global warming.

The 45th Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol met in Thailand between 2 to 7 July 2023.

The IISD/ENB summary report of the meeting notes:

"The success of the Montreal Protocol was again highlighted and further specified by the Scientific Assessment Panel (SAP): stratospheric ozone is on the way to full recovery, expected by around 2040 for the near-global average, around 2045 in the Arctic, and around 2066 in the Antarctic. At the same time, the decline in ozone depleting substance (ODS) emissions due to compliance with the Protocol is set to avoid global warming by about 0.5–1°C by 2050, compared to an uncontrolled increase in ODS. Another 0.3–0.5°C of avoided warming by 2100 is estimated due to the phase-down of HFCs, the ozone-friendly but climate-warming greenhouse gases controlled under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol."

Ozone action on track, helping avoid 0.5C of global warming by 2100 says UNEP

Ozone recovery is back on track says the latest UNEP assessment report on ozone depletion and recovery.

Rogue emissions from China of ozone-depleting chemicals had threatened to delay recovery by a decade. But the emissions were stopped, says the New York Times.

“That ozone recovery is on track according to the latest quadrennial report is fantastic news. The impact the Montreal Protocol has had on climate change mitigation cannot be overstressed. Over the last 35 years, the Protocol has become a true champion for the environment,” said Meg Seki, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Ozone Secretariat. “The assessments and reviews undertaken by the Scientific Assessment Panel remain a vital component of the work of the Protocol that helps inform policy and decision makers.”

Montreal Protocol continues work limiting chemicals destroying ozone layer at MOP34

Remember the threat of the growing hole in the ozone layer? 

Well scientists and Governments came together in 1987 and implemented the Montreal Protocol Treaty to regulate substances such as chlorofluorocarbons that were increasing the ozone hole. 

The ozone holes have been decreasing over the last two decades. We have it largely under control, but there is still decades to go before the ozone layer is recovered. But the work of the Montreal Protocol continues. 

The Montreal Protocol remains the only international treaty ratified by every country on Earth.

It is meeting this week in Montreal. Here is a quick summary of the first day of 34th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP34).

Momentum from #ParisAgreement for climate action at #COP22 Marrakech

The Paris agreement will enter into force on November 4, 2016 in record time. Never before has an international United Nations Agreement come into force so quickly. But Australia is still to ratify. Unfortunately with the lack of ambitious targets and climate policies Australia is on the outer as theParis Agreement comes alive for Marrakech.

Three days after the Paris Agreement comes into force the UNFCCC climate Conference of the Parties, COP22, will meet in Marrakech to discuss the finer details of the Paris Agreement and how action can be taken further on climate change. This will include encouraging other actors, such as city level and regional governments and businesses, to step up.

In the last two months there has also been significant steps on a global level in two other areas which has maintained the momentum of the Paris moment: aviation emissions and phasedown of HFC greenhouse gases under the Montreal Protocol.

Pacific Island nations lead in ratification of Paris Agreement on climate change

The Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting has concluded in Pohnpei in the Marshall Islands. A major focus of this meeting was action on climate change following Paris and COP21.

The Statement following 47th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting was released by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, The Honorable John Silk:

“Today’s communique is a clarion call to action that even with the Paris Agreement, there remains a lot of work to do to guarantee there will still be 16 seats at the Pacific Islands Forum in a hundred years from now.”

“The Pacific is strongest when we come together and fight as one. Along with our big brothers and sisters in Australia and New Zealand, we have declared that we will continue to push for an ambitious amendment to the Montreal Protocol in October, and to see ambitious climate action across all sectors. This must include reducing aviation and maritime emissions in line with the 1.5°C temperature target we all agreed in Paris.”

“I want to particularly thank President Christian for the Federated States of Micronesia’s tireless leadership in the Montreal Protocol negotiations, beginning with their first submission in 2009. If we succeed in Kigali, it will be one of the best examples of island leadership that we have ever seen and help us avoid up to half a degree of warming – the biggest chunk yet off the ambition gap.”

Deciphering the US-China bilateral climate change outcomes

This article first appeared at indybay.org.

The nine point statement on the U.S.-China Climate Change Outcomes in Hangzhou China negotiated between Presidents Xi Jinping and Barack Obama outlined the growing bilateral cooperation between the US and China on climate policy in a number of meetings since 2013. (First outcome).

These bilateral negotiations should be widely welcomed. They proved to be an important stage setter for the Paris Agreement at COP21 in Paris which set in place for the first time a true international framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and dealing with climate change.

Read the U.S.-China Climate Change Outcomes (Whitehouse.gov) in full.

United States and China ratify Paris Agreement

The formal occasion in Hangzhou China was used to lodge instruments of ratification of the Paris Agreement with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, and call for all other UNFCCC signatory countries to ratify the agreement this year. (Second Outcome)

Read more on this by me: China and the United States Ratify Paris Agreement on climate

Cape Grim Greenhouse gas website launched by CSIRO

The CSIRO and Australian Bureau of Meteorology have launched a website showing the monthly data for greenhouse gases measured at the windswept Cape Grim Station located in the path of the roaring forties on the west coast of Tasmania. Cape Grim is one of three important baseline atmospheric stations for measuring background greenhouse gases, the other two being Mauna Loa in the middle of the Pacific and Alert Weather Station on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic. About 15 other stations around the world also collect and track atmospheric emissions data.