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 XVI/10: Reporting of information relating to quarantine and pre-shipment uses of methyl bromide

The Sixteenth Meeting of the Parties decided in Dec. XVI/10:

Recalling the tasks assigned to the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel under decision XI/13 paragraphs 4 (a) and (b) regarding quarantine and pre-shipment uses of methyl bromide,

Recognizing that in order to complete both of these tasks, the Panel will require better data on the nature of each Party’s quarantine and pre-shipment uses and on the availability in each Party of technically and economically feasible alternatives to methyl bromide for these uses,

Noting the advice of some Parties that they would require additional time in order to provide useful and robust data to inform the Panel’s work on this issue, particularly on the availability of technically and economically feasible alternatives in their jurisdictions,

Desiring that the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel’s implementation of decision XI/13, paragraph 4, should nevertheless take place in as timely and reasonable a manner as possible,

Noting with appreciation that some Parties have already submitted partial data to inform the Panel’s work on this issue,

Noting that, given the nature of quarantine and pre-shipment applications, quarantine and pre-shipment uses of methyl bromide and its alternatives can vary considerably from year to year,

Noting that the introduction of standard 15 of the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures, of March 2002, of the International Plant Protection Convention of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, may create a growing demand for the quarantine and pre-shipment uses of methyl bromide, despite the availability of heat treatment as a non-methyl bromide option in the standard;

Noting the current workload of the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee and its request at the twenty-fourth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group for additional expertise in some quarantine and pre-shipment applications,

Noting that quarantine and pre-shipment treatments, according to decisions VII/5 and XI/12, are authorized or performed by national plant, animal, health or stored product authorities,

  1. To request the Panel to establish a task force, with the assistance of the Parties in identifying suitably qualified members, to prepare the report requested by the Parties under decision XI/13 paragraph 4;
  2. To request Parties that have not yet submitted data to the Panel on this issue to provide best available data to the task force before 31 March 2005, identifying as available all known uses of methyl bromide for quarantine and pre-shipment, by commodity and application;
  3. In responding to the request under paragraph 2, to request the Parties to use best available data for the year 2002 or data considered by the Party to be representative of a calendar year period;
  4. To request the task force to report the data submitted by the Parties under paragraphs 2 and 3, or previously submitted by other Parties in response to the 14 April 2004 methyl bromide quarantine and pre-shipment survey, by 31 May 2005, for the information of the Open-ended Working Group at its twenty-fifth session;
  5. Also to request the task force, in reporting pursuant to paragraph 4, to present the data in a written report in a format aggregated by commodity and application so as to provide a global use pattern overview, and to include available information on potential alternatives for those uses identified by the Parties’ submitted data;
  6. To request the Parties to provide information to the task force, as available and based on best available data, on the availability and technical and economic feasibility of applying in their national circumstances the alternatives identified in paragraph 5, focusing in particular on the Parties’ own uses, for the calendar year period reported under paragraphs 2 and 3, by 30 November 2005, constituting either:
    1. More than 10 per cent of their own total annual methyl bromide consumption for quarantine and pre-shipment consumption; or
    2. In the absence of uses over 10 per cent, which constitute their five highest volume uses; or
    3. Where data is available to the Party, all their known uses;
  7. To request the Panel, on the basis of information contained in paragraph 6, to report to the Parties in accordance with decision XI/13, paragraph 4, by 31 May 2006.