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 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

w/m

$

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$

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$

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$

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$
10 PROJECT PERSONNEL COMPONENT
1100 Project personnel
1101 Executive Secretary (shared with the Montreal Protocol (MP))

(D-2)a)

 6 59 000 6 68 000 6 69 700 6 71 443 6 73 229
1104 Programme Officer (Science) (shared with MP) (P-4) 6 44 000 6 66 000 6 67 650 6 69 341 6 71 075
1105 Administrative and Programme Management Officer (shared with MP) (P-3)a) 6 37 000 6 48 000 6 49 200 6 50 430 6 51 691
0
1199 Subtotal 140 000 182 000 186 550 191 214 195 994
1300 Administrative support costs
Support staff costs
1301 Administrative Assistant (shared with MP) (G-6) a) 6 9 000 6 9 500 6 9 738 6 9 981 6 10 230
1303 Senior Secretary (G-6) a) 12 16 000 12 17 000 12 17 425 12 17 861 12 18 307
1304 Secretary (shared with MP)

(G-5) a)

 6 8 000 6 8 500 6 8 713 6 8 930 6 9 154
1305 Secretary (shared with MP)

(G-5) a)

 6 8 000 6 8 500 6 8 713 6 8 930 6 9 154
Subtotal support staff costs 41 000 43 500 44 588 45 702 46 8456
Conference-servicing costs (CSC) b)
1322 Preparatory and Parties meetings 200 000 0 0 215 378 0
1324 Meetings of the Bureau 40 000 0 0 21 538 0
1327 Meeting of the Ozone Research Managers 25 000 0 0 26 922 0
Subtotal conference servicing costs 265 000 0 0 263 838 0
1399 Subtotal 306 000 43 500 44 588 309 540 46 845
1600 Travel on official business c)
1601 Secretariat staff 10 000 15 000 15 375 43 076 16 153
1699 Subtotal 10 000 15 000 15 375 43 076 16 153
1999 Component total 456 000 240 500 246 513 543 830 258 992
30 TRAINING/PARTICIPATION COMPONENT
3300 Participation costs of developing countries d)
3302 Preparatory and Parties meetings 180 000 0 0 193 840 0
3304 Bureau meetings 18 000 0 0 19 384 0
3307 Meeting of Ozone Research Managers 180 000 0 0 193 840 0
3399 Subtotal 378 000 0 0 407 065 0
3999 Component total 378 000 0 0 407 065 0
40 EQUIPMENT AND PREMISES COMPONENT
4100 Expendable equipment (items under $1,500) e)
4101 Miscellaneous expendables (shared with MP) 8 000 6 000 6 150 6 304 6 461
4199 Subtotal 8 000 6 000 6 150 6 304 6 461
4200 Non-expendable equipment f)
4201 Personal computers and accessories (shared with MP) 0 0 3 000 3 075 3 152
4202 Portable computers (shared with MP) 0 0 3 000 3 075 3 152
4203 E-mail/Bulletin Board and other information systems (shared with MP) 6 000 6 000 6 150 6 304 6 461
4299 Subtotal 6 000 6 000 12 150 12 454 12 765
4300 Rental of office premises (shared)
4301 Rental of office premises

(shared with MP) g)

 4 000 5 000 10 732 11 000 11 275
4399 Subtotal 4 000 5 000 10 732 11 000 11 275
4999 Component total 18 000 17 000 29 032 29 758 30 501
50 MISCELLANEOUS COMPONENT
5100 Operation and maintenance of equipment
5101 Maintenance of equipment (shared with MP) 4 500 5 000 5 000 5 125 5 253
5199 Subtotal 4 500 5 000 5 000 5 125 5 253
5200 Reporting costs
5201 Reporting (general) 5 500 5 500 5 638 5 778 5 923
5202 Reporting (Ozone Research Managers

meeting report) k)

 5 000 0 0 5 253 0
5299 Subtotal 10 500 5 500 5 638 11 032 5 923
5300 Sundry
5301 Communications 19 000 16 000 16 400 16 810 17 230
5302 Freight charges (documents shipment) 10 000 6 000 6 150 10 769 6 825
5303 Others 3 000 3 000 3 075 3 152 3 231
5399 Subtotal 32 000 25 000 25 625 30 731 27 286
5400 Hospitality
5401 Hospitality 10 000 0 0 10 506 0
5499 Subtotal 10 000 0 0 10 506 0
5999 Component total 57 000 35 500 36 263 57 394 38 462
99 GRAND TOTAL 909 000 293 000 311 807 1 038 046 327 956
Programme support costs (13%) 118 170 38 090 40 535 134 946 42 634
Contingency 30 000 30 000 30 000 35 000 0
OVERALL GRAND TOTAL 1 057 170 361 090 382 342 1 207 991 370 590

Notes:

The inflation rate is assumed to be 2.5 per cent.

a) 1100 and

1300

 Classification of the posts in UNEP is currently taking place in accordance with the guidelines of the United Nations. Provision is made for upgrading, if found necessary, in the classification and if approved by the Executive Director, after review.

The salaries are updated to reflect the current and estimated future salary levels in Nairobi.
b) 1322 - 1327 The conference‑servicing costs have been based on the following assumptions:
1322 The 1999 meeting of the Conference of the Parties and its Preparatory Meeting will be held in Nairobi, using six languages.
1324 One Bureau meeting is scheduled for 1999.
1327 One Ozone Research Managers meeting will be held in 1999, in Geneva. In accordance with Conference decision III/6, the meeting planned for 1995 was rescheduled for 1996. Therefore, the approved budget for organizing this meeting in 1995 has been carried over to 1996.
c) 1600 Travel on official business has been increased to $45,000 in 1999 to cover the cost of organizing the Ozone Research Managers meeting in Geneva and the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention.
d) 3300 The average cost of participation is assumed to be $5,000 per participant in 1997, with no more than one person's travel cost being covered for each country and using the most appropriate economical fare and United Nations per diem allowances.
3304 The participation costs for the Bureau meeting are based on there being four participants from developing countries or countries with economies in transition.
3307 One Ozone Research Managers meeting will be held in 1999, in Geneva. Funding is reserved for participants from developing countries. In accordance with Conference decision III/6, the meeting planned for 1995 was rescheduled for 1996, and, therefore, the budget approved for participation in this meeting in 1995 has been carried over to 1996.
e) 4100 The cost of expendable equipment has been increased marginally to cover inflation.
g) 4301 The level of rent has been increased to current levels from 1998 onwards.
h) Contingency If the need arises, the Secretariat will request the Conference of the Parties to review the contingency.