|
Combating
Climate Change Given Big Confidence Boost in Canada
Governments Agree to
Accelerated 'Freeze and Phase-out" of Ozone and Climate-Damaging Chemicals
at Montreal Protocol's 20th Anniversary Celebrations
Montreal/Nairobi, 22 September
2007 - An historic agreement to tackle the twin challenges of protecting the
ozone layer and combating climate change has been agreed by governments.
Nations signed up to an
accelerated freeze and phase out of substances known as hydrochlorflurocarbons (HCFCs)
under the 20 year-old Montreal Protocol- the UNEP treaty established in 1987 to
protect the Earth's ozone layer from chemical attack.
The decision, including an
agreement that sufficient funding will be made available to achieve the
strategy, follows mounting evidence that HCFCs contribute to global warming.
HCFCs emerged as replacement
chemicals in the 1990s for in air conditioning, some forms of refrigeration
equipment and foams following an earlier decision to phase-out older and more
ozone-damaging chemicals known as CFCs or chloroflurocarbons.
Governments meeting in the
Canadian city agreed at the close to freeze production of HCFCs in 2013 and
bring forward the final phase-out date of these chemicals by ten years.
The acceleration may also assist
in restoring the health of the ozone layer the high flying gas that filters out
damaging levels of ultra violet light by a few years too.
Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary
General and UNEP Executive Director, praised the decision taken at the 20th
anniversary celebrations of the Montreal Protocol calling it an 'important and
quick win' for combating climate change.
"Historic is an often
over-used word but not in the case of this agreement made in Montreal.
Governments had a golden opportunity to deal with the twin challenges of climate
change and protecting the ozone layer and governments took it. The precise and
final savings in terms of greenhouse gas emissions could amount to several
billions of tonnes illustrating the complementarities of international
environmental agreements," he said.
Mr Steiner also congratulated the
government of Canada and John Baird, the Canadian Environment Minister, for
hosting a successful meeting.
He said the spotlight now moves
to New York where, on 24 September, the UN Secretary- General Ban Ki Moon is
hosting a Heads of State meeting on climate change.
The meeting will help to build
confidence in the run up to the UN climate convention negotiations scheduled in
Bali, Indonesia, in December. Here nations need to get down in earnest to
negotiate an international greenhouse gas emissions reductions agreement to kick
in post-2012.
Mr Steiner said:" I believe
the agreement and the spirit of Montreal can build confidence in the United
Nations as a platform for negotiating effective agreements for addressing the
environmental challenges of our time".
"Montreal underlines that
when nations are united they can achieve a great deal and on multiple fronts. It
also underlines how international treaties in this case the UN's Montreal
Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change can deliver far more
when we build on the scientific consensus and mobilize the technological and
economic means to act," he added.
John Baird, Canada's Environment
Minister, added: "The Montreal Protocol, already considered the most
successful environmental agreement to date, delivers once again, to protect the
ozone layer as well as the most pressing issue of our time climate change.
Today's announcement demonstrates the kind of concrete action citizens around
the world are demanding".
The Agreement on HCFCS
HCFCs, which also damage the
ozone layer but less than CFCs, were always planned as interim substitutes and
were due to be phased out in 2030 by developed countries and in 2040 by
developing ones.
However in recent years and
months mounting evidence has emerged on the growth in HCFCs and the potentially
significant benefits arising in terms of combating climate change and ozone loss
if an accelerated freeze and accelerated phase-out could be achieved.
Experts estimate that without
this week's agreement, production and consumption of HCFCs may have doubled by
2015 adding to the dual challenges of ozone depletion and climate change.
Here in Montreal six proposals
were put before governments from both developed and developing countries. They
represented a variety of options including the freeze dates; reduction steps
towards a final and accelerated phase out.
Industry experts had indicated
that, should an agreement be taken this week in Montreal, this would send a
strong signal resulting in the rapid development of replacement chemicals and
technologies.
The final agreement is a
combination of the various options proposed by Argentina and Brazil; Norway and
Switzerland; the United States; Mauritania, Mauritius and the Federated States
of Micronesia. Under the agreement, productions of HCFCs are to be frozen at the
average production levels in 2009-2010 in 2013.
Developed countries have agreed
to reduce production and consumption by 2010 by 75 per cent and by 90 per cent
by 2015 with final phase out in 2020.
Developing countries have agreed
to cut production and consumption by 10 per cent in 2015; by 35 per cent by 2020
and by 67.5 per cent by 2025 with a final phase-out in 2030.
It was also agreed that a small
percentage of the original base line amounting to 2.5 per cent will be allowed
in developing countries during the period 2030-2040 for 'servicing' purposes.
Essentially this means that some
equipment, coming towards the end of its life such as office block air
conditioning units, could continue to run on HCFCs for a few more years if
needed.
The 191 Parties to the Montreal
Protocol?190 countries plus the European Commission?also made an agreement on
financing.
The Protocol's financial arm?the
Multilateral Fund?which to date has spent over $2 billion to assist developing
country reductions comes up for replenishment next year. The new agreement takes
into account the need for 'stable and sufficient' funds and the fact that there
may be 'incremental costs' for developing countries under the accelerated HCFC
freeze and phase out.
Governments agreed here to
commission a short study by experts to fully assess the likely costs of the
acceleration. They will report back early in 2008 and inform parties on the
suggested sums required for the new replenishment.
Marco Gonzalez, Executive
Secretary of UNEP's Ozone Secretariat, said: "The progress achieved over 20
years and continued this week demonstrates to the world that developed and
developing countries can work together to meet global challenges. Here this week
numerous nations including China, India, the United States and the European
Union, demonstrated the art of the possible and solidarity in advancing the
international environmental agenda on both ozone and now increasingly on climate
change".
Other Important Decisions Taken
at the 19th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
Methyl bromide, a pesticide and
ozone depleting substance, was meant to be fully phased-out by developed
countries in 2005.
But 'critical use exemptions'
have been granted because some farmers producing products such as strawberries
and cucumbers to tomatoes and eggplants argue that alternatives are either not
ready or cost effective for all circumstances.
In 2005, over 16,000 tonnes of
methyl bromide were approved under the Montreal Protocol and in 2007 over 9,100
tonnes were permitted.
Here in Montreal, governments
approved just over 4,600 tonnes continuing the downward trend in critical use
exemptions for developed countries.
|
