The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer

When did we realize ozone depletion was an issue, and how did we fix it? By 1985, the globe had already seen advancements in the scientific understanding of ozone depletion and its impacts on human health and the environment. It was then that the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was created in response. This agreement is a framework convention that lays out principles agreed upon by many parties. It does not, however, require countries to take control actions to protect the ozone layer. This would come later in the form of the Montreal Protocol.

The Vienna Convention was the first convention of any kind to be signed by every country involved, taking effect in 1988 and reaching universal ratification in 2009. This speaks to the enormity of ozone depletion at the time and the willingness of countries around the world to work together to solve it. The Convention aimed to promote cooperation among nations by exchanging information on the effects of human activities on the ozone layer. In doing so, the creators of the Convention hoped policymakers would adopt measures to combat those activities responsible for ozone depletion.

Today, the Vienna Convention is still making progress.The countries involved meet once every three years to make decisions on important issues including on Research and Systematic observations as well as financial and administrative matters.

Annex I : Trust Fund for the Vienna Convention: budgets for 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003

w/m 2000 (US$) w/m 2001 (US$) w/m 2002 (US$) w/m 2003 (US$)
10 PROJECT PERSONNEL COMPONENT
1100 Project personnel
1101 Executive Secretary (D-2) (shared with the Montreal Protocol, MP) 6 73,229 6 75,060 6 76,936 6 78,860
1104 Programme Officer (Science) (P-5) (shared with MP) 6 71,075 6 72,852 6 74,673 6 76,540
1105 Administrative Officer (P-4) (paid by UNEP) 0 0 0 0
1199 Sub-total 144,304 147,912 151,609 155,400
1300 Administrative Support
1301 Administrative Assistant (G-7) 6 10,230 6 10,230 6 9,981 6 10,230
1303 Programme Assistant (G-6) 18,307 18,307 17,861 18,307
1304 Personal Assistant (G-6) 6 9,154 6 9,154 6 8,930 6 9,154
1305 Programme Assistant (G-6) 6 9,154 6 9,154 6 8,930 6 9,154
1322 Preparatory and Parties meetings 0 0 215,378 0
1324 Meetings of the Bureau 0 0 21,538 0
1327 Meeting of the Ozone Research Managers 0 0 26,922 0
1328 Promotion activities for the protection of the Ozone Layer 7,500 11,546 7,997 10,058
1399 Sub-total 54,345 58,391 317,537 56,903
1600 Travel on Official Business
1601 Staff travel on official business 26,153 16,153 43,076 16,153
1699 Sub-total 26,153 16,153 43,076 16,153
1999 COMPONENT TOTAL 224,802 222,456 512,222 228,456
30 MEETING/PARTICIPATION COMPONENT
3300 Participation Costs of Developing Countries
3302 Preparatory and Parties meetings 0 0 193,840 0
3304 Bureau meetings 0 0 19,384 0
3307 Meeting of Ozone Research Managers 0 0 193,840 0
3399 Sub-total 0 0 407,064 0
3999 COMPONENT TOTAL 0 0 407,064 0
40 EQUIPMENT AND PREMISES COMPONENT
4100 Expendable Equipment (items under $1,500)
4101 Miscellaneous expendables (shared with MP) 10,461 8,000 8,500 9,000
4199 Sub-total 10,461 8,000 8,500 9,000
4200 Non-Expendable Equipment
4201 Personal computers and accessories 3,152 5,000 6,000 7,000
4202 Portable computers 4,843 4,000 4,500 5,000
4203 Other office machines (server, fax, scanner, etc.) 6,461 7,500 8,000 8,500
4204 Photocopiers* 10,000 18,000 0 0
4299 Sub-total 24,456 34,500 18,500 20,500
4300 Premises
4301 Rental of office premises (shared with MP) 15,275 13,000 13,500 14,000
4399 Sub-total 15,275 13,000 13,500 14,000
4999 COMPONENT TOTAL 50,192 55,500 40,500 43,500
50 MISCELLANEOUS COMPONENT
5100 Operation and Maintenance of Equipment
5101 Maintenance of equipment and others (shared with MP) 5,253 7,000 7,000 7,000
5199 Sub-total 5,253 7,000 7,000 7,000
5200 Reporting Costs
5201 Reporting 10,923 7,000 7,500 8,000
5202 Reporting (Ozone Research Managers meeting report) 0 0 5,253 0
5299 Sub-total 10,923 7,000 12,753 8,000
5300 Sundry
5301 Communications 20,230 22,000 23,000 24,000
5302 Freight charges (documents) 10,825 10,000 20,000 12,000
5304 Others 5,731 4,000 5,000 5,000
5399 Sub-total 36,786 36,000 48,000 41,000
5400 Hospitality
5401 Hospitality 0 0 10,506 0
5499 Sub-total 0 0 10,506 0
5999 COMPONENT TOTAL 52,962 50,000 78,259 56,000
99 TOTAL DIRECT PROJECT COST 327,956 327,956 1,038,045 327,956
Programme support costs (13%) 42,634 42,634 134,946 42,634
Contingency 0 0 35,000 0
GRAND TOTAL (inclusive of programme support costs) 370,590 370,590 1,207,991 370,590
Contribution from Reserve 75,000 75,000 75,000 75,000
Contribution to be paid by the Parties 295,590 295,590 1,132,991 295,590
* The amount allocated can be used in the year 2000.

EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE PROPOSED 2001, 2002 AND 2003 BUDGETS FOR THE TRUST FUND FOR THE VIENNA CONVENTION


General:

• All figures are in US dollars (US$).

Budget line Comment
1100 and 1300 The classification of posts of the Secretariat by UNEP is governed by the regulations of the United Nations. The Meetings of the Parties sanction the number and type of posts and make financial provision for posts as classified when they make the budget decisions.
1322-1327 Necessary funds may be transferred from the conference-servicing budget lines (1322-1327) should such services be required to be rendered either by individual consultancies or corporate contracts. The total cost of organizing the meeting should not, however, exceed the amounts agreed in this budget.

The conference-servicing costs have been based on the following assumptions:

(a) 1322: The Meeting of the Conference of the Parties and its preparatory meeting for 2002 will be held in Nairobi using six languages. When meetings are not held in Nairobi, the incremental cost will be paid by the host Government.

(b) 1324: One Bureau meeting is scheduled for 2002.

(c) 1327: One meeting of the Ozone Research Managers will be held in 2002, in Geneva.
1600 Travel on official business has been increased in 2002 to cover the cost of organizing the meeting of the Ozone Research Managers in Geneva and the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention.
3300 This item includes assistance to participants. No more than one person’s travel costs are covered for each country and using the most appropriate economical fare and the United Nations per diem allowances.
3307 One Ozone Research Managers meeting will be held in 2002, in Geneva. Funding is reserved for participants from developing countries.