The forty-seventh meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG47) of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer met in Bangkok, Thailand, from 7 to 11 July 2025 to consider issues related to ongoing and increased efforts to protect the ozone layer. Proceedings could also be followed remotely through live streaming. 

Many of the agenda items the parties worked through emanated from decisions adopted at combined thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention and Thirty-Sixth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (COP13/MOP36) that took place last year. 

A key priority for the parties was to start establishing the terms of reference for the study on the 2027–2029 replenishment of the Multilateral Fund to estimate the funds necessary to enable parties to achieve compliance during the forthcoming replenishment period. The fund supports Article 5 (developing) countries to implement their obligations under the Montreal Protocol. 

The parties were presented with updates from the TEAP on life-cycle refrigerant management (LRM) to prevent the emissions of refrigerant chemicals throughout their entire lifespan, from production to end-of-life disposal; updates on the availability of metred-dose inhalers that use less environmentally harmful propellants; and options for restructuring the Panel as well as its various Technical Options Committees (TOCs) to better address the evolving focus of their work. The TEAP also provided policy-relevant information on per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals”, noting that some regulatory controls could narrow the alternatives available to replace substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol. 

Other issues emanating from the TEAP presentation included challenges such as the future use and supply of used, recovered, recycled or reclaimed halons, a fire suppressant widely used in the aviation industry. Ensuring availability of remaining halons and their alternatives to apply to the critical uses such as in aviation industry is important. 

The Ozone Secretariat and the Advisory Committee for the General Trust Fund for Financing Activities on Research and Systematic Observations Relevant to the Vienna Convention (GTF) presented progress updates on their work in response to a decision taken at MOP36 to enhance regional atmospheric monitoring of substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol, including on the identification of suitable locations for establishing stations, expansion of the Committee and the revision of its terms of reference.

Halons, LRM and the terms of reference for the replenishment study, as well as the use of controlled substances for feedstock in the manufacture of other chemicals were discussed at length by the parties in plenary and also in separate contact groups. Parties also considered a draft decision on regional initiatives to support the implementation of the Kigali Amendment. The issue of the membership of the TEAP and the organisation and restructuring of its TOCs, increasing global atmospheric monitoring and further strengthening institutions under the Montreal Protocol were discussed in informal meetings.

While there was some appetite to examine other emerging issues such as PFAS and very short-lived substance (VSLS) during plenary, this did not extend to more in-depth contact group discussions, with parties agreeing to wait for more information from the assessment panels and defer further consideration to the Thirty-Seventh Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP37) which is due to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from 3 to 7 November 2025. Similarly, consideration of the classification of the State of Palestine as an Article 5 party was deferred for further discussions until MOP37.

In the margins of the Open-ended Working Group meeting a total of 26 side events took place covering a wide range of topics on ozone layer health and protection. 

The parties made good progress, including on discussing issues on which there are wide disagreements. Parties noted that further work and discussions between OEWG47 and November will contribute to progress at MOP37.

For inquiries or more information, please contact:
Stephanie HaySmith, Communications & Public Information Officer, Ozone Secretariat