New Delhi meeting to consider links between ozone protection and climate change
The 18th Meeting of Parties to the Montreal Protocol on the protection of the ozone layer will be held in New Delhi, India, from 30th October to 3rd November 2006. The high-level meeting of 2nd-3rd November will involve representatives from about 140 countries.
One of the most challenging goals of the meeting is to reach agreement on how to continue co-operation between the Montreal Protocol and the Kyoto Protocol, which limits emissions of greenhouse gases. Such co-operation is necessary since there are close linkages between stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change. One particular problem is the rapidly increasing production and use of HCFC compounds in developing countries, as they not only deplete the ozone layer, but HCFCs are also potent greenhouse gases. The widespread illegal trading in such substances is also challenge to fulfilment of Montreal Protocol.
The meeting will also discuss a Canadian initiative outlining the future for the Montreal Protocol. In this context the EU stresses that considerable challenges lie ahead. These challenges concern both the aims of the protocol, and the availability of the necessary resources, which the EU believes must be ensured. The EU emphasises that beneficial synergies can be obtained in terms of both cost-efficiency and the achievement of environmental objectives by intensifying co-operation between the Montreal Protocol and other international environmental agreements on issues such as climate change and chemicals.
Other issues to be discussed at the New Delhi meeting include the destruction of ozone depleting substances in developing countries. Study is going to be conducted to examine how stocks of ozone-depleting substances would be destroyed, specify the infrastructure and types of technologies needed, and estimate the costs involved. Finland, as the country currently holding the EU Presidency, proposes that the ongoing surveys should be effectively conducted within the scope of the Multilateral Ozone Fund as they have already activities and expertise on the area.
The meeting will also discuss other proposals related to potential new ozone-depleting substance, n-propyl bromide, on issues including ensuring developing countries CFC-usage for their asthma aerosol production on a sustainable way, as well as critical and essential use allocations related to CFCs and the widely used pesticide methyl bromide. The granting of derogations concerning the use of methyl bromide has particularly become a bone of contention, as despite of the phase out for pesticide use of this substance for developed countries in 2005, there still are substantive requirements for critical uses of this substance.
The meeting will also deal with a report that considers how an effective system could be developed to monitor the international trade in all ozone-depleting substances so as to prevent illicit trade.