17 JULY 2026 – At the forty eighth meeting of the Open ended Working Group (OEWG48) of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer convened in Bangkok, Thailand, from 13 to 17 July 2026, partied addressed pressing issues central to the continued success of the ozone treaties. Sessions were also livestreamed and accessible online.

A major focus was the review the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) Replenishment Task Force (RTF) report for the 2027–2029 replenishment period. The estimates of the amount needed to fund developing country implementation of the Montreal Protocol for that period range from USD 1.2 billion to 1.7 billion, reflecting the scale of resources needed to support Article 5 parties in meeting their obligations, including the HFC phase down and pilot projects for atmospheric monitoring. 

Parties recalled that the last replenishment reached nearly USD 1 billion, underscoring the growing ambition of the Protocol but noting, too, that a significant amount of the funds had not been utilised, suggesting that further work on the funding estimates was needed to improve accuracy. To improve the transparency in its modelling, the TEAP introduced a new calculation tool developed with Secretariat support, which will undergo further refinement based on party feedback and be made available before the Thirty-Eighth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP38) in November 2026. 

The parties met daily in a focused contact group to agree on the supplementary questions for the RTF to consider and report back on. The additional information is intended to support parties’ discussions at MOP38 to help determine the funding for 2027-2029. 

The question of the membership of the Eastern European Group (EEG) spilled over from the Thirty-Seventh Meeting of the Parties (MOP37) last year. Parties remained undecided on the election of five new members of the Montreal Protocol’s Implementation Committee and agreed that the decision should be deferred to a specially convened Extraordinary Meeting of the Parties (ExMOP6) to be held during the OEWG48 in 2026. 

While regional matters are generally decided on in the margins, the inability of the EEG to agree on a candidate by consensus, and the subsequent self-nominations from both Russia and Czechia, made voting — unprecedented in the 40 year history of the Montreal Protocol – a strong possibility. 

This was reiterated by the Meg Seki, Executive Secretary of the Montreal Protocol Ozone Secretariat, in her opening address reminding parties “to remain strong and steadfast” and come together “in the spirit of collaboration and consensus that has always guided the negotiations over the decades, ensuring that the Montreal Protocol continues to deliver.”

As a result of extensive discussions and work by the EEG since MOP37, and support from other parties, consensus was indeed reached and a vote avoided. Azerbaijan was elected by acclamation, as were the candidates from the four other regional groups, who joined the five existing members of the Implementation Committee which will meet to review and consider possible cases of non-compliance immediately after the OEWG48.

Building on decisions to improve global atmospheric monitoring, particularly in regions with major data gaps, the Secretariat and the Advisory Committee of the Vienna Convention’s General Trust Fund presented on progress on strengthening the monitoring of controlled substances. 

A new online tool developed to estimate the costs of establishing and operating monitoring stations, designed to help parties assess feasibility and financing options was also introduced. This initiative responds to calls for improved global monitoring capacity, particularly in regions with major data gaps.

Delegates also considered the long term viability of Secretariat operations. A report prepared at the request of parties outlined scenarios for meeting modalities, exploring, among others, changes to frequency, format, and duration, with indications of pros and cons. Discussions at OEWG48 led to additional questions being asked, and more information being requested from the Secretariat.

Parties were also informed in a TEAP update on the continued use of halon 1301 in the aviation industry and as a fire suppressant, metred-dose inhalers for asthma sufferers that currently use hydrofluorocarbons (a potent greenhouse gas) as a propellant. Other information included updates on the life cycle management of substances used in cooling, their end of life destruction, and recycling. To help parties manage the complexities of transboundary movement of used substances controlled under the Protocol and other Conventions, a practical handbook was developed 

Parties also discussed institutional strengthening of the Montreal Protocol, options for the organisation of the TEAP and its various Technical Options Committees and were provided with an update by Rwanda on the preparations of the Thirty-Eighth Meeting of the Party (MOP38) due be held in Kigali, Rwanda in November.  

Despite the complexity of the issues, OEWG48 reaffirmed the enduring strength of multilateralism under the Montreal Protocol. Delegates emphasised consensus based decision making and celebrated the milestone of 173 parties ratifying the Kigali Amendment, with calls for the remaining parties to join ahead of its 10th anniversary.

The discussions in Bangkok successfully laid the groundwork for decisions at MOP38 later this year, ensuring that the Montreal Protocol continues to deliver for both the ozone layer and the climate.