European Union

On Thursday, 13 July, the informal working group on capacity building and technology transfer continued discussions in the morning, focusing on: objectives, principles, modalities, clearinghouse mechanism, funding, monitoring and review, and definitions. The informal working group on crosscutting issues, facilitated by Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil, focused on: institutional arrangements, including a decision-making forum, a scientific/technical body, a clearinghouse, a financial mechanism, dispute settlement, responsibility and liability, and review; and the preamble of an international legally binding instrument. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the 4th Session of the Preparatory Committee Established by the UN General Assembly Resolution 69/292: Development of an International Legally Binding Instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; Rena Lee, Singapore, Facilitator of the informal working group on capacity building and transfer of marine technology; Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; and Vita Onwuasoanya, UNDOALOS Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Sabita Nakarmi, Nepal Faiyaz Murshid Kazi, Bangladesh Marc Richir, EU Carlos García Reyes, Guatemala Saifu George, Sierra Leone Jorge Dotta, Uruguay Vladimir Ryabinin, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States Riena Dwi Astuty, Indonesia Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Ismail Raushan, Maldives, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Dhisadee Chamlongrasdr, Thailand James Ndirangu Waweru, Kenya Rogelio Villanueva Jr., the Philippines Mohamed Atlassi, Morocco Audrey Naana Abayena, Ghana Tatiana Shuvalova, Russian Federation Luke Tang, Singapore Jean Kenfack, Cameroon Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga Alain Tellier, Canada Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, Mexico Zentaro Naganuma, Japan Estrella Tulay, the Philippines Landisang Kotaro, Palau Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil, facilitating the informal working group on crosscutting issues L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; Barbara Boechat, Brazil; Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil; Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS; and Michele Ameri, UNDOALOS Sibylle Vermont, Switzerland Zakieh Taghizadeh, Iran Metod Špaček, EU Duncan Currie, Greenpeace Evan Bloom, US Oleg Rykov, Russian Federation Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Aboubacar Oulare, Guinea Florian Botto, Monaco L-R: Zentaro Naganuma, Japan, in a conversation with Matthías Pálsson, Iceland Delegates from the Caribbean Community Delegates from Germany

The thirty-ninth session of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Montreal Protocol (OEWG 39) convened for its third day in Bangkok, Thailand, on 13 July 2017. The morning plenary opened with progress reports from the contact groups on data and destruction technologies and on replenishment of the Multilateral Fund (MLF), as well as from informal consultations on nominations for essential use exemptions (EUEs) and critical use exemptions (CUEs). The delegates then discussed a conference room paper (CRP) on process agents before turning to debate two CRPs on energy efficiency, one on technical and financial assistance for Article 5 countries, the other on a possible workshop to discuss the Montreal Protocol's climate and energy co-benefits. The proponents of the two energy efficiency CRPs were asked to consult informally about a possible merger of their proposals. In the afternoon the contact groups met. The group on MLF replenishment worked on a list of information that parties wished to see in a supplementary report on the replenishment needs from the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) before 29th Meeting of the Parties (MOP 29) in November 2017. The group on data and destruction technologies focused principally on the remaining data reporting issues and the CRP on destruction technologies for hydrochlorocarbons (HFCs).  An informal meeting was also held on a CRP regarding HFCs not listed in the Protocol's Annex F.  IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily digital coverage and a summary and analysis report from the Workshop on the Safety Standards Relevant to the Safe Use of Low-GWP Alternatives to HFCs and OEWG 39. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Morning Plenary Co-Chairs Cindy Newberg, US, and Cheikh Ndiaye Sylla, Senegal Davinder Lail, UK Emma Rachmawaty, Indonesia Hammami Youssef, Tunisia Tom Land, US Iftikhar-ul-Hassan Gilani, Pakistan Abderrahim Chakour, Morocco Tumau Herownna Neru, Samoa Reine Marie Coly Badiane, Senegal Eduardo Ganem, MLF Gudi Alkemade, EU Leslie Smith, Grenada Ulises Lovera Gaono, Paraguay Roksana Tarannum, Bangladesh Yvette Gauthe Boko, Benin Mazen Khalil Hussein, Lebanon Co-Chairs Cindy Newberg, US, and Cheikh Ndiaye Sylla, Senegal, consulting with the Ozone Secretariat View of the morning plenary John Thompson, US, chatting with Martin Sirois, Canada Contact Group on MLF Replenishment View of the contact group on MLF replenishment Delegates from the US, Australia and Canada TEAP Co-Chair Lambert Kuijpers, the Netherlands Laura Berón, Argentina Contact Group on Data and Destruction Technologies View of dais during the contact group on data and destruction technologies Rosemary Parry, New Zealand Cornelius Rhein, EU Around the Venue

On Wednesday, 12 July, the informal working group on area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs), continued discussions on the designation process, as well as on implementation, relationships to existing instruments, and monitoring and review. The informal working group on environmental impact assessments (EIAs), facilitated by René Lefeber (the Netherlands), then addressed: obligations, guiding principles and approaches, criteria and thresholds, process, content of EIA reports, relationships to existing instruments, clearinghouse mechanisms, capacity building and technology transfer, and monitoring and review. The informal working group on capacity building and technology transfer, facilitated by Rena Lee (Singapore), started discussion of objectives, and guiding principles and approaches. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the 4th Session of the Preparatory Committee Established by the UN General Assembly Resolution 69/292: Development of an International Legally Binding Instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Alice Revell, New Zealand, Facilitator of the informal working group on ABMTs, including MPAs; Valentina Germani, UNDOALOS; and Carlos Fuentes, UNDOALOS Siai Taylor, Cook Islands Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Ma Xinmin, China Riena Dwi Astuty, Indonesia Michael Googan, Australia Blaise Kuemlangan, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Rena Lee, Singapore Evan Bloom, US Alice Revell, New Zealand, Facilitator of the informal working group on ABMTs, including MPAs Luis Oña Garcés, Ecuador, on behalf of the G-77/China Veronica Frank, Greenpeace Zentaro Naganuma, Japan Arnór Snæbjörnsson, Iceland Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States Leonito Bacalando Jr., Federated States of Micronesia John Fintakpa Lamega, Togo Kate Neilson, New Zealand L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; René Lefeber, the Netherlands, Facilitator of the informal working group on environmental impact assessments; Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil; Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; René Lefeber, the Netherlands, Facilitator of the informal working group on environmental impact assessments; Michael Schewchuk, UNDOALOS; and Yoshinobu Takei, UNDOALOS Wini Broadbelt, EU Lizanne Aching, Trinidad and Tobago, on behalf of the Caribbean Community Babajide Alo, Nigeria Oleg Rykov, Russian Federation Cymie Payne, IUCN Cheikhy Sidi, Mauritania Clarissa Jacqueline Caancan, the Philippines Duncan Currie, Greenpeace Penny Race, New Zealand L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; Rena Lee, Singapore, Facilitator of the informal working group on capacity building and transfer of marine technology; and Vita Onwuasoanya, UNDOALOS Kathleen Siala Taituave, Samoa Da Hee Song, Republic of Korea Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, Mexico Martin Zvachula, Federated States of Micronesia Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group L-R: Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, consulting with Thembile Joyini, South Africa L-R: Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation, in a conversation with Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway, and Evan Bloom, US Delegates from Fiji and Samoa Delegates from the Philippines

The thirty-ninth session of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Montreal Protocol (OEWG 39) convened for its second day in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday, 12 July 2017. In the morning, delegates discussed China’s nomination for an essential use exemption (EUE) for carbon tetrachloride in laboratory and analytical uses and six nominations from various parties for critical use exemptions (CUEs) involving methyl bromide. They also discussed process agents, Technical and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) organizational matters, and a proposal by four parties to request TEAP to assess non-Article 5 party requirements for use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) for certain specific uses in the 2020-2030 period. They also heard the report of the workshop on safety standards relevant to the safe use of low global warming potential (GWP) alternatives to hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and the TEAP report on the same subject. In the afternoon, delegates debated possible follow-up regarding safety standards. They then discussed energy efficiency, as well as consideration of HFCs not listed in the Montreal Protocol's control annexes. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily digital coverage and a summary and analysis report from the Workshop on the Safety Standards Relevant to the Safe Use of Low-GWP Alternatives to HFCs and OEWG 39. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Morning Plenary View of dais Co-Chairs Cindy Newberg, US, and Cheikh Ndiaye Sylla, Senegal Nancy Seymour, Canada Patrick McInerney, Australia Philip Owen, EU Dong Yao, China Delegate from Belize listening through the interpretation headset Delegates from Albania Martin Sirois, Canada TEAP members Bella Maranion, US, and Dan Verdonik, US conferring Hassan Ali Mubarak, Bahrain, speaking with Taha Mohammed Zatari, Saudi Arabia, during the morning plenary John Thompson, US Salome Molefe, South Africa Samuel Pare, Burkina Faso Nada Aldabashi, Kuwait Charles Kanu, Nigeria Stephan Sicars, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Afternoon Plenary The panel during the afternoon plenary View of the afternoon plenary Idriss Ismael Nour, Djibouti Amit Love, India Coletha Ruhamya, Rwanda Delegates from the Netherlands having discussions during the afternoon session Ana Maria Kleymeyer, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) Raad Kadhum Hasan, Iraq Yaqoub Al-Matouq, Kuwait Ole-Kristian Kvissel, Norway Henry Wohrnschimmel, Switzerland Delegates from Canada in discussions Around the Venue

On Tuesday, 11 July, PrepCom 4's informal working group on marine genetic resources (MGRs), addressed: the nature of benefits; benefit-sharing modalities; intellectual property rights; monitoring of utilization of MGRs; a clearinghouse mechanism; and capacity building and technology transfer. The informal working group on measures such as area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs), facilitated by Alice Revell (New Zealand), discussed: objectives, guiding principles and approaches, criteria for identifying areas in need of protection; and the process for establishing ABMTs, including decision-making. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the 4th Session of the Preparatory Committee Established by the UN General Assembly Resolution 69/292: Development of an International Legally Binding Instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, Facilitator of the informal working group on marine genetic resources; Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS; and Michele Ameri, UNDOALOS Dominic Misiolo Sofe, Samoa Riena Dwi Astuty, Indonesia Zha Hyoung Rhee, Republic of Korea Hina Saeed Baig, Pakistan Zentaro Naganuma, Japan Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Leonito Bacalando Jr., Federated States of Micronesia Rogelio Villanueva Jr., the Philippines José Luis Fernández Valoni, Argentina Essam Yassin Mohammed, Eritrea Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States Zakieh Taghizadeh, Iran Shara Duncan, Costa Rica Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation, making an intervention Konrad Marciniak, EU Hiroko Muraki Gottlieb, IUCN Jessica Battle, WWF Alain Tellier, Canada Sabita Nakarmi, Nepal Sibylle Vermont, Switzerland, making an intervention L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil; Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; Alice Revell, New Zealand, Facilitator of the informal working group on ABMTs, including MPAs; and Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS Sophie Mirgaux, EU Ma Xinmin, China Kate Neilson, New Zealand Aboubacar Oulare, Guinea Fred Sarufa, Papua New Guinea Drusila Esther Bayate, the Philippines Luis Oña Garcés, Ecuador, on behalf of the G-77/China Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga Evan Bloom, US Mirriam Lidimani, Solomon Islands L-R: Luis Oña Garcés, Ecuador, in a conversation with Zakieh Taghizadeh, Iran Alexander Shestakov (center), WWF, in a discussion with delegates from the Russian Federation L-R: Florian Botto, Monaco; Sergio Carvalho, Portugal; Tidiani Couma, Monaco; and Stella Bartolini Cavicchi, World Ocean Council

The thirty-ninth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG 39) of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer began on Tuesday, 11 July 2017, at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand, with opening remarks by Somchai Harnhiran, Ministry of Industry, Thailand, and Tina Birmpili, Executive Secretary, Ozone Secretariat. In the morning, delegates started discussions on Kigali Amendment implementation issues, including: data reporting under Protocol Article 7; work by the Scientific Assessment Panel (SAP) on updating the global warming potential (GWP) values for substances in the Protocol control annexes; and the process for approving destruction technologies for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). These items were referred to a contact group for further discussion. IIn the afternoon, delegates briefly took note of progress by the Executive Committee (ExCom) of the Multilateral Fund (MLF) in developing guidelines for financing the phase-down of HFC consumption and production, as requested by MOP 28. They then turned to the 2018-2020 MLF replenishment, starting with a presentation by the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) on its report on funding requirements. A contact group was formed to further discuss the replenishment. The afternoon ended with TEAP presenting its 2017 report, including issues relating to nominations for essential use exemptions (EUEs) and critical use exemptions (CUEs), quarantine and preshipment (QPS) uses of methyl bromide, methyl bromide stocks, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) phase-out, and organizational matters. In the evening, delegates attended a reception hosted by the Ozone Secretariat. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily digital coverage and a summary and analysis report from the Workshop on the Safety Standards Relevant to the Safe Use of Low-GWP Alternatives to HFCs and OEWG 39. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Opening Plenary Somchai Harnhirun, Ministry of Industry, Thailand Tina Birmpili, Executive Secretary, Ozone Secretariat Samuel Pare, Burkina Faso Philip Owen, EU Sergey Vasiliev, the Russian Federation Rafael Da Soler, Brazil Richard Mwendandu, Kenya Nancy Akerman, US Co-Chair Cindy Newberg, US Anna Correa, Ecuador Ezzat Lewis, Egypt Liana Ghahramanyan, Armenia SAP Co-Chair John Pyle, UK SAP Co-Chair Paul Newman, US Taha Mohammed Zatari, Saudi Arabia, in discussions with a delegate during the morning plenary Afternoon Plenary View of dais TEAP Co-Chair Paulo Altoe, Brazil TEAP Co-Chair Lambert Kuijpers, the Netherlands Laura Arciniegas Rojas, Colombia Annie Gabriel, Australia Martin Sirois, Canada Kenichiro Tanaka, Japan Delegates from Argentina View of dais Ian Porter, TEAP, Australia Around the Venue