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 XXVIII/5: Terms of reference for the study on the 2018–2020 replenishment of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol

Recalling the parties’ decisions on previous terms of reference for studies on the replenishment of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol,

Recalling also the parties’ decisions on previous replenishments of the Multilateral Fund,

  1. To request the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel to prepare a report for submission to the Twenty-Ninth Meeting of the Parties, and to submit it through the Open-ended Working Group at its thirty-ninth meeting, to enable the Twenty-Ninth Meeting of the Parties to adopt a decision on the appropriate level of the 2018–2020 replenishment of the Multilateral Fund;
  2. That, in preparing the report referred to in paragraph 1 of the present decision, the Panel should take into account, among other things:
    1. All control measures and relevant decisions agreed upon by the parties to the Montreal Protocol and the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund, in particular those pertaining to the special needs of low‑volume- and very-low-volume-consuming countries, in addition to small and medium-sized enterprises, and the decisions of the Twenty‑Eighth Meeting of the Parties and the Executive Committee at its meetings, up to and including its seventy-eighth meeting, insofar as those decisions will necessitate expenditure by the Multilateral Fund during the period 2018–2020;
    2. The need to allocate resources to enable all parties operating under paragraph 1 of Article 5 of the Montreal Protocol (Article 5 parties) to achieve and/or maintain compliance with Articles 2A–2E, 2G, 2H, 2I and 2J of the Protocol;
    3. The need to allocate resources to enable all Article 5 parties to meet compliance obligations relevant in the replenishment period 2018–2020 in respect of Article 2F of the Protocol, providing support for a transition to low-global-warming-potential (GWP) or zero-GWP alternatives in hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) phase-out, taking into account decision XIX/6 of the Meeting of the Parties and the extended commitments made by Article 5 parties under approved HCFC phase-out management plans;
    4. Rules and guidelines agreed upon by the Executive Committee at all its meetings, up to and including its seventy-eighth meeting, for determining eligibility for the funding of investment projects and non‑investment projects, including, but not limited to, institutional strengthening;
  3. That the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel should provide indicative figures of the resources within the estimated funding required for phasing out HCFCs that could be associated with enabling Article 5 parties to encourage the use of low-GWP or zero-GWP alternatives and indicative figures for any additional resources that would be needed to further encourage the use of low-GWP or zero-GWP alternatives;
  4. The need for additional resources to enable Article 5 parties to carry out initial activities related to the phase-down of HFCs listed under Annex F and controlled under Article 2J;
  5. That in preparing the report the Panel should consult widely, including all relevant persons and institutions and other relevant sources of information deemed useful;
  6. That the Panel should strive to complete the report in good time to enable it to be distributed to all parties two months before the thirty-ninth meeting of the Open‑ended Working Group;
  7. That the Panel should provide indicative figures for the periods 2021–2023 and 2024‑2026 to support a stable and sufficient level of funding, on the understanding that those figures will be updated in subsequent replenishment studies;