The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer

When did we realize ozone depletion was an issue, and how did we fix it? By 1985, the globe had already seen advancements in the scientific understanding of ozone depletion and its impacts on human health and the environment. It was then that the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was created in response. This agreement is a framework convention that lays out principles agreed upon by many parties. It does not, however, require countries to take control actions to protect the ozone layer. This would come later in the form of the Montreal Protocol.

The Vienna Convention was the first convention of any kind to be signed by every country involved, taking effect in 1988 and reaching universal ratification in 2009. This speaks to the enormity of ozone depletion at the time and the willingness of countries around the world to work together to solve it. The Convention aimed to promote cooperation among nations by exchanging information on the effects of human activities on the ozone layer. In doing so, the creators of the Convention hoped policymakers would adopt measures to combat those activities responsible for ozone depletion.

Today, the Vienna Convention is still making progress.The countries involved meet once every three years to make decisions on important issues including on Research and Systematic observations as well as financial and administrative matters.

Annex I : Trust Fund for the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer: Approved 2002, Revised 2003 and Proposed 2004, 2005 and 2006 Budgets

w/m 2002 (US$) w/m 2003 (US$) w/m 2004 (US$) w/m 2005 (US$) w/m 2006 (US$)
10 PROJECT PERSONNEL COMPONENT
1100 Project personnel
1101 Executive Secretary (D-2) (shared with the Montreal Protocol, MP) 6 76,936 6 78,860 6 105,000 6 105,000 6 105,000
1104 Scientific Affairs Officer (P-5) (shared with MP) 6 74,673 6 76,540 6 82,500 6 82,500 6 82,500
1105 Administrative Officer (P-4) (paid by UNEP) 0 0 0 0 0
1107 Programme Officer (Communication and Information) (P3) 0 0 6 60,000 12 112,000 12 112,000 12 112,000
1108 Programme Officer (Monitoring and Compliance) - P3 to be paid from MP 0 0 0 0 0 0
1199 Sub-total 151,609 215,400 299,500 299,500 299,500
1300 Administrative Support
1301 Administrative Assistant (G-7) (Shared with MP) 6 9,981 6 10,230 6 10,500 6 10,500 6 11,000
1303 Programme Assistant (G-6) 17,861 18,307 18,300 18,300 18,300
1304 Information Assistant (G-6) (shared with MP) 6 8,930 6 9,154 6 9,500 6 10,000 6 10,500
1305 Programme Assistant (G-6) (Shared with MP) 6 8,930 6 9,154 6 9,500 6 10,000 6 10,500
1310 Bilingual Senior Secretary (G-6) 0 0 6 10,000 12 20,000 12 20,000 12 20,000
1322 Preparatory and Parties meeting (shared with MP every 3 years, it applies to 2002 and 2005) 215,378 0 0 210,000 0
1324 Meetings of the Bureau 21,538 0 0 20,000 0
1326 Promotion activities for the protection of the Ozone Layer 7,997 10,058 10,000 10,000 10,000
1327 Meeting of the Ozone Research Managers 26,922 0 0 28,000 0
1399 Sub-total 317,537 66,903 77,800 336,800 80,300
1600 Travel on Official Business
1601 Staff travel on official business 43,076 16,153 15,000 30,000 15,000
1699 Sub-total 43,076 16,153 15,000 30,000 15,000
1999 COMPONENT TOTAL 512,222 298,456 392,300 666,300 394,800
30 MEETING/PARTICIPATION COMPONENT
3300 Participation Costs of Developing Countries
3302 Preparatory and Parties meetings 193,840 0 0 125,000 0
3304 Bureau meetings 19,384 0 0 20,000 0
3307 Meeting of Ozone Research Managers 193,840 0 0 175,000 0
3399 Sub-total 407,064 0 0 320,000 0
3999 COMPONENT TOTAL 407,064 0 0 320,000 0
40 EQUIPMENT AND PREMISES COMPONENT
4100 Expendable Equipment (items under $1,500)
4101 Miscellaneous expendables (shared with MP) 8,500 9,000 9,000 9,000 9,000
4199 Sub-total 8,500 9,000 9,000 9,000 9,000
4200 Non-Expendable Equipment
4201 Personal computers and accessories 6,000 7,000 9,000 0 7,000
4202 Portable computers 4,500 5,000 0 0 5,000
4203 Other office machines (server, fax, scanner, etc.) 8,000 8,500 7,000 0 8,500
4204 Photocopiers 0 0 10,000 0 0
4299 Sub-total 18,500 20,500 26,000 0 20,500
4300 Premises
4301 Rental of office premises (shared with MP) 13,500 14,000 14,000 14,000 14,000
4399 Sub-total 13,500 14,000 14,000 14,000 14,000
4999 COMPONENT TOTAL 40,500 43,500 49,000 23,000 43,500
50 MISCELLANEOUS COMPONENT
5100 Operation and Maintenance of Equipment
5101 Maintenance of equipment and others (shared with MP) 7,000 7,000 7,000 7,000 7,000
5199 Sub-total 7,000 7,000 7,000 7,000 7,000
5200 Reporting Costs
5201 Reporting 7,500 8,000 5,000 7,500 5,000
5202 Reporting (Ozone Research Managers meeting report) 5,253 0 0 7,500 0
5299 Sub-total 12,753 8,000 5,000 15,000 5,000
5300 Sundry
5301 Communications 23,000 24,000 25,000 25,000 25,000
5302 Freight charges (documents) 20,000 12,000 12,000 20,000 12,000
5304 Others 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000
5399 Sub-total 48,000 41,000 42,000 50,000 42,000
5400 Hospitality
5401 Hospitality 10,506 0 0 10,000 0
5499 Sub-total 10,506 0 0 10,000 0
5999 COMPONENT TOTAL 78,259 56,000 54,000 82,000 54,000
99 TOTAL DIRECT PROJECT COST 1,038,045 397,956 495,300 1,091,300 492,300
Programme support costs (13%) 134,946 51,734 64,389 141,869 63,999
Contingency 35,000 0 0 0 0
GRAND TOTAL (inclusive of programme support costs) 1,207,991 449,690 559,689 1,233,169 556,299
A. Draw down from Trust Fund balance* 75000 75,000 100,000 100,000 100,000
B. Contribution from Secretariat's 2001 unspent balance** 0 79,100 0 76,886 0
Sub-total contributions 75,000 154,100 100,000 176,886 100,000
Contribution to be paid by the Parties 1,132,991 295,590 459,689 1,056,283 456,299

Note:

.

* The draw down of $75,000 in 2003 from the Trust Fund's unspent balance and the 2003 contribution of $295,590 by the Parties was based on Decision V/4, paragraph 5 of the Fifth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention. A further draw down of $100,000 over 2004, 2005 and 2006 will be made from the Trust Fund balance to reduce the contributions of the Parties by the same amount for those years.

** As a result of unexpected savings in 2001, the Secretariat proposes an additional draw down of $155,986 over 2 years as follows: $79,100 for 2003 and $76,886 for 2005.


EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE REVISED 2003, AND PROPOSED 2004, 2005 AND 2006 BUDGETS FOR THE TRUST FUND FOR THE VIENNA CONVENTION

Budget line Comment
1100 and 1300 The Parties have decided that, in future, proposals for the establishment and classification of all posts must be presented to them for consideration and approval before they are presented for processing by the United Nations system. The Parties approve the number and type of posts, and make financial provisions for them when they make budget decisions.
1101, 1104 1107 and 1108 Standard Professional salary costs applicable to the Nairobi duty station have been used for 2003 and 2004 budget proposals. Unspent commitments normally revert to the Trust Fund.
1105 The post of the Administrative Officer continues to be paid from the 13 per cent programme support costs based on actual expenditures.
1107 and 1108 Two posts are being presented for approval by the Parties: one Programme Officer (Communication and Information - 1107) to be funded from the Vienna Convention Trust Fund, who will be responsible for handling communication and information services, and manage the retrieval, collection, and delivery of information. Another Officer (Monitoring and Compliance - 1108) is to be funded from the Montreal Protocol Trust Fund, to assist in the monitoring and follow-up of issues relating to compliance with the implementation of the Montreal Protocol.

Budget provision for 6 months only in 2003 has been proposed, as the post (1107) for funding under the Trust Fund for the Vienna Convention will have to be classified and established before recruitment can commence.
1301and 1303 to 1305 Standard General Service salary costs applicable to the Nairobi duty station for 2003 have been used for 2004, 2005 and 2006 budget provisions.
1310 The establishment of a bilingual senior secretarial post at the G-6 level to be funded from the Vienna Convention Trust Fund is presented for approval by the Parties. Budget provision for 6 months only in 2003 has been proposed, as the post will have to be classified and established before recruitment can commence. It is envisaged that the bilingual general support staff member will increase the secretariat’s capacity to deliver work promptly and efficiently in two languages without having to send the correspondence for translation each time.
1322, 1324, 1326 and 1327 Necessary funds may be transferred from the conference servicing budget lines (1322-1327) should such services be required to be rendered either by individual consultancies or corporate contracts. The total cost of organizing the meeting should not, however, exceed the amounts agreed in the budget.

The conference servicing costs have been based on the following assumptions:

1322: The meeting of the Conference of the Parties and its preparatory meeting for 2005 will be held in Nairobi using six languages. When meetings are not held in Nairobi, the incremental cost will be paid by the host Government.

1324: One bureau meeting is scheduled for 2005.

1326: At least one informal consultation meeting per year is envisaged for 2004, 2005 and 2006 on the promotion of the ratification of the Vienna Convention, assumed to take place in Nairobi.

1327: One meeting of the Ozone Research Managers will be held in Geneva in 2005.
1600 The travel budget for 2005 has been increased from the 2003 and 2004 levels to cover the cost of organizing the meeting of the Ozone Research Managers in Geneva and the seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention.
3302 The participation of representatives from article 5 Parties in the various Convention meetings is assumed at $5,000 per participation taking into account not more than one person’s travel costs per country, using the most appropriate and advantageous economy-class fare and United Nations per diem allowances.

Participation costs for around 25 article 5 representatives has been allocated for seventh Conference of the Parties, in 2005.
3304 The participation costs are based on one bureau meeting in 2005 for four participants from developing countries or countries with economies in transition at each meeting.
3307 One Ozone Research Managers meeting will be held in 2005, in Geneva. Funding is reserved for 35 experts from developing countries.
4200 The secretariat is maintaining its electronic data processing systems in order to make the documentation of the Protocol and the Convention available electronically to the Parties. This requires procurement of necessary peripherals and software licenses and updating of the existing computer equipment. A minimum provision has been made to enable the secretariat to replace some equipment each year.
5100 - 5400 Provisions under these budget lines have been based on the expected level of disbursements based on expenditures over the last 3 years.