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.

Decision I/11: Report and confidentiality of data

The First Meeting of the Parties decided in Dec. I/11 with regard to report and confidentiality of data:

  1. that each Party is required to report its annual production, imports and exports of each individual controlled substance;
  2. that Parties submitting data on controlled substances deemed to be confidential by that Party shall, in submitting the data to the Secretariat, require a guarantee that the data will be treated with professional secrecy and maintained confidential;
  3. that the Secretariat in preparing reports on data of controlled substances shall aggregate the data from several Parties in such a way as to ensure that data from Parties deemed to be confidential is not disclosed. The Secretariat shall also publish total data aggregated over all Parties for each individual controlled substance;
  4. that Parties wishing to exercise their rights under Article 12, paragraph b of the Protocol may have access from the Secretariat to confidential data from other Parties, provided that they send an application in writing guaranteeing that such data will be treated with professional secrecy and not disclosed or published in any way;
  5. that data submitted under Article 7 shall when necessary be made available on a confidential basis to resolve disputes under Article 11 of the Convention.