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Extraordinary Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
 
Montreal, Quebec, Canada | 24 - 26 March 2004

 

Highlights for Wednesday 24 March 2004

The Delegates met in Plenary to hear opening remarks, address organizational matters and listen to a presentation on the 2004 Supplementary Report on critical-use nominations (CUNs) by the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP). Parties and observers then made statements. In the afternoon, two contact groups convened to discuss nominations for critical-use exemptions (CUEs), and conditions for granting and reporting CUEs.

Above photo L-R: UNEP Executive Director, Klaus Töpfer delivering his opening address with Jiři Hlaváček, ExMOP President (center) and Marco Gonzalez, Executive Secretary, Ozone Secretariat

 

Opening Plenary: 





ExMOP President Jiři Hlaváček (Czech Republic) (above) asked Parties to retain their determination to phase out ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) while maintaining uses that are critical or essential because of the absence of feasible alternatives or substitutes.




UNEP Executive Director Klaus Töpfer (above) stressed the need to address, among others: compliance issues; ODSs not listed in the Protocol; illegal trade; and linkages with other processes, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.


Organizational Matters:






Right photo:  Jukka Uosukainen (Finland) (far right) and Oladapo Afolabi (Nigeria) (right), Co-Chairs of the open-ended informal consultations immediately preceding the ExMOP, introduced their summary of the consultations. 

TEAP Presentations:



Left photo: Jonathan Banks, Co-Chair of Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee, presented  TEAP's 2004 Supplementary Report on CUNs. He said that in reviewing CUNs, MBTOC supplemented the tech­nical information from Parties with its own expertise, expertise from other nominations, and all available sources of information. 

Statements:


On conditions for CUEs, Switzerland stressed the role of fairness in the Montreal Protocol and  the need for a continuous decline in CUE requests.
Above photo: Blaise Havisberger (Switzerland)


JAPAN called for flexibility in granting CUEs, warning that a requirement that CUEs be lower in subsequent years would not allow for adjustments based on emergency needs. 
Above photo: Tadanori Inomata (Japan)


The PHILIPPINES suggested that elements recognized in a decision on interim reductions include: accelerated phase-out of controlled uses of methyl bromide with support by the Multilat­eral Fund (MLF). 

Above photo: Rosalinda V. Tirona (the Philippines)


INDIA expressed concern over the total quantity submitted for exemptions.
Above photo: Usha Chandrasekhar (India)


BANGLADESH called on Parties to take steps against unreported methyl bromide stockpiling, smuggling, and dumping in developing countries.

Above photo: Jafrul Islam Chowdhury (Bangladesh)


NIGERIA called on Parties to retain the integrity of the Montreal Protocol.

Above photo: Bala Mande (Nigeria)

ExMOP Snapshots:



Links |

 The main page of the meeting: http://www.unep.org/ozone/Events/1ex_mop.asp.
 Documents: http://www.unep.org/ozone/Meeting_Documents/1ex_mop_docs.asp.
UNEP website: http://www.unep.org.
Ozone secretariat web site: http://www.unep.org/ozone/index.asp.
 ENB summary from the MOP-15 (HTML, PDF, TEXT).
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