The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is a global agreement to protect the Earth’s ozone layer by phasing out the chemicals that deplete it. This phase-out plan includes both the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. The landmark agreement was signed in 1987 and entered into force in 1989.

The parties to the Protocol meet once a year to make decisions aimed at ensuring the successful implementation of the agreement. These include adjusting or amending the Protocol, which has been done six times since its creation. The most recent amendment, the Kigali Amendment, called for the phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in 2016. These HFCs were used as replacements for a batch of ozone-depleting substances eliminated by the original Montreal Protocol. Although they do not deplete the ozone layer, they are known to be powerful greenhouse gases and, thus, contributors to climate change.

The Montreal Protocol provided a set of practical, actionable tasks that were universally agreed on. The Protocol has successfully met its objectives thus far and continues to safeguard the ozone layer today. Thanks to the collaborative effort of nations around the world, the ozone layer is well on its way to recovery.

Article 7: Reporting of data

1.         Each Party shall provide to the Secretariat, within three months of becoming a Party, statistical data on its production, imports and exports of each of the controlled substances in Annex A for the year 1986, or the best possible estimates of such data where actual data are not available.

2.         Each Party shall provide to the Secretariat statistical data on its production, imports and exports of each of the controlled substances

            –       in Annex B and Groups I and II of Annex C for the year 1989;

            –       in Annex E, for the year 1991,

–       in Annex F, for the years 2011 to 2013, except that Parties operating under paragraph 1 of Article 5 shall provide such data for the years 2020 to 2022, but those Parties operating under paragraph 1 of Article 5 to which subparagraphs (d) and (f) of paragraph 8 qua of Article 5 applies shall provide such data for the years 2024 to 2026;

            or the best possible estimates of such data where actual data are not available, not later than three months after the date when the provisions set out in the Protocol with regard to the substances in Annexes B, C, E and F respectively enter into force for that Party.

3.         Each Party shall provide to the Secretariat statistical data on its annual production (as defined in paragraph 5 of Article 1) of each of the controlled substances listed in Annexes A, B, C, E and F and, separately, for each substance,

            –       Amounts used for feedstocks,

            –       Amounts destroyed by technologies approved by the Parties, and

            –       Imports from and exports to Parties and non-Parties respectively,

            for the year during which provisions concerning the substances in Annexes A, B, C, E and F respectively entered into force for that Party and for each year thereafter. Each Party shall provide to the Secretariat statistical data on the annual amount of the controlled substance listed in Annex E used for quarantine and pre-shipment applications. Data shall be forwarded not later than nine months after the end of the year to which the data relate.

3 bis.  Each Party shall provide to the Secretariat separate statistical data of its annual imports and exports of each of the controlled substances listed in Group II of Annex A and Group I of Annex C that have been recycled.

3 ter.   Each Party shall provide to the Secretariat statistical data on its annual emissions of Annex F, Group II, controlled substances per facility in accordance with paragraph 1 (d) of Article 3 of the Protocol.

4.         For Parties operating under the provisions of paragraph 8 (a) of Article 2, the requirements in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 3 bis of this Article in respect of statistical data on production, imports and exports shall be satisfied if the regional economic integration organization concerned provides data on production, imports and exports between the organization and States that are not members of that organization.