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 XVII/13: Use of carbon tetrachloride for laboratory and analytical uses in Parties operating under paragraph 1 of Article 5 of the Montreal Protocol

The Seventeenth Meeting of the Parties decided in Dec. XVII/13:

Bearing in mind that Parties operating under paragraph 1 of Article 5 of the Montreal Protocol must reduce consumption of carbon tetrachloride by 85 per cent with respect to their baseline by 2005 and by 100 per cent by 2010,

Considering that carbon tetrachloride has an important use in laboratory and analytical processes; and that alternatives are not yet available for some of them,

Recalling that decision IX/17 introduced an essential-use exemption for laboratory and analytical uses of ozone-depleting substances and decision XV/8 extended that global exemption to 31 December 2007,

Bearing in mind that according to paragraph 7 of decision IV/25, essential-use controls will not be applicable to Parties operating under paragraph 1 of Article 5 until the phase-out dates applicable to those Parties,

Considering that in some Parties operating under paragraph 1 of Article 5, the control measures mentioned above may jeopardize carbon tetrachloride availability for analytical and laboratory processes,

  1. That the Implementation Committee and Meeting of the Parties should defer until 2007 consideration of the compliance status in relation to control measures for carbon tetrachloride of Parties operating under paragraph 1 of Article 5 which provide evidence to the Ozone Secretariat with the data report, submitted in accordance with Article 7, showing that the deviation from the respective consumption target is due to the usage of carbon tetrachloride for analytical and laboratory processes. This deferral should be reviewed at the Nineteenth Meeting of the Parties in order to address the period 2007-2009;
  2. To urge Parties operating under paragraph 1 of Article 5 to minimize the consumption of carbon tetrachloride in laboratory and analytical uses by applying the criteria and procedures of global exemption for carbon tetrachloride in laboratory and analytical uses that are currently established for Parties not operating under paragraph 1 of Article 5.