About
The first in-person meeting in over two years replenished the Multilateral Fund and addressed questions of gaps in global monitoring of ozone depleting substances, specific usage and production of methyl bromide and carbon tetrachloride, and energy efficiency and phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons that contribute to climate change.
Final report
Summary report 11–16 July 2022
All coverage
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is widely reported to be the most successful environmental treaty. This global agreement has protected the Earth’s ozone layer by phasing out the chemicals that deplete it since its entry into force in 1989. However, without effective implementation and monitoring—and the necessary funding—ozone depletion could continue unabated, with serious impacts on human health and the environment.
After two years of unprecedented travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, parties finally convened in person to address complex implementation and funding issues that are necessary to keep the Protocol on track. The last two meetings of the Open-ended Working Group of the parties to the Montreal Protocol (OEWG) and the previous Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol took place online, and discussions on the more complex issues were postponed until face-to-face meetings could convene. As such, parties faced a heavy agenda.
Among the top agenda items was replenishment of the Multilateral Fund (MLF) for the 2021-23 triennium, following interim arrangements that enabled work to continue during the pandemic. An extraordinary Meeting of Parties (ExMOP-5) convened immediately following OEWG-44, to adopt a final decision on MLF replenishment.
Parties also took up the issue of gaps in global monitoring of emissions at this Bangkok meeting. This issue first came to prominence in 2018 following detection of unexpectedly high trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11) emissions, used as a coolant and solvent. As large regions of the globe do not have monitoring infrastructure, parties considered a progress report by the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) and the Ozone Research Managers on this topic.
Parties also discussed a TEAP report on energy-efficient technology that has low global warming potential, following the Kigali Amendment’s entry into force on 1 January 2019. The Kigali Amendment addresses hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), initially adopted as alternatives to ozone-depleting substances, but later found to be powerful greenhouse gases. Parties considered information from the TEAP about the energy-efficiency potential of HFC phasedown, including potential cost savings that could be achieved in sectors such as heat pump and commercial refrigeration technologies. Parties also considered a stand-alone proposal on strengthening the TEAP and the technical options committees for the phasedown of HFCs and other climate-related challenges.
Other critical issues on the agenda included: measures to stop the environmentally harmful dumping of refrigerant and air-conditioning appliances using obsolete refrigerants; critical-use exemptions for methyl bromide, applied for fumigation purposes in agriculture and shipping; and the future availability of halons and their alternatives, used as fire extinguishing agents.
OEWG-44 and ExMOP-5 convened in Bangkok, Thailand, from 11-16 July 2022.
View past and future events
Past event
Vienna Convention COP 5 and Montreal Protocol MOP 11
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20th Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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Montreal Protocol MOP 12
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Montreal Protocol MOP 13
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22nd Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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Vienna Convention COP 6 and Montreal Protocol MOP 14
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Montreal Protocol MOP 15
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1st Extraordinary Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (ExMOP-1)
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Montreal Protocol MOP 16
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25th Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties and 2nd Extraordinary Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (ExMOP-2)
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Vienna Convention COP 7 and Montreal Protocol MOP 17
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26th Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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Montreal Protocol MOP 18
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Montreal Protocol MOP 19
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Viena Convention COP 8 and Montreal Protocol MOP 20
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29th Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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Montreal Protocol MOP 21
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Montreal Protocol MOP 22
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31st Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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Vienna Convention COP 9 and Montreal Protocol MOP 23
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32nd Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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Montreal Protocol MOP 24
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33rd Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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Montreal Protocol MOP 25
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34th Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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Vienna Convention COP 10 and Montreal Protocol MOP 26
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Workshop on Hydrofluorocarbon Management and 35th Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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36th Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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Resumed 36th Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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Montreal Protocol MOP 27
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37th Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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3rd Extraordinary Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (ExMOP 3) and Associated Meetings
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Montreal Protocol MOP 28
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39th Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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Vienna Convention COP 11 and Montreal Protocol MOP 29
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Workshop on Energy Efficiency Opportunities While Phasing-Down Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and 40th Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
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30th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
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41st Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (OEWG 41)
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31st Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP 31)
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42nd Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (OEWG 42)
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12th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention (Part I) and 32nd Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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4th Extraordinary Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (ExMOP-4) and 1st Part of the 43rd Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG43)
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2nd Part of the 43rd Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (OEWG 43)
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Combined 12th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention (Part II) and 33rd Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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44th Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (OEWG-44) and 5th Extraordinary Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (ExMOP-5)
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34th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP34)
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45th Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
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35th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP35)
All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For the Montreal Protocol OEWG, please use: Photo by IISD/ENB | Ash Appleton.
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