European Union

The thirty-seventh meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG 37) of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer convened for its second day on Tuesday, 5 April 2016, in Geneva, Switzerland. The Contact Group on the Feasibility and Ways of Managing Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs Management Contact Group) resumed discussions on the key challenges and proposed solutions to the phase-out of HFCs. The morning discussions continued to broadly address key challenges and proposed solutions to the phase-out of HFCs. The afternoon discussions turned to specifically address the challenge of funding. A stock-taking plenary was held in the late afternoon. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage,provided daily web coverage from the 37th OEWG. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has producd a summary and analysis report of the 37th OEWG, which is available in HTML and PDF formats. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. From L-R: Xia Yingxian, China; Patrick McInerney​, Australia; and Tina Birmpili, Executive Secretary, Ozone Secretariat From L-R: Enoh Peter Ayuk, Cameroon; Samuel Pare, Burkina Faso; and Ismael Nour, Djibouti Hiroyuki Nishiura, Japan Gilles Christian Mangongo, Gabon Marcos Wabi, Benin Hassan Ali Mubarak, Bahrain Laura Juliana Arciniegas, Colombia Monica Törnlund, Sweden, and Blaise Horisberger, Switzerland Arumugam Duraisamy, India Gudi Alkemade, European Union (EU) Tchoumou Martin, Republic of Congo Enrique Moret Hernandez, Cuba Nada Aldabashi, Kuwait Samuel Pare, Burkina Faso Margaret Aanyu, Uganda Abdul-Kazeem Kasimu Bayero, Nigeria Ismael Nour, Djibouti Yaqoub Al-Matouq, Kuwait Delegates from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Stephen Seidel, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, and Kevin Fay, Alcalde & Fay Side Event: Modelling Montreal Protocol Amendments with IMPACT & Discussion of High Ambient Temperature Exemption Side Event: Development of a Framework for the Disposal of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and HFCs

The thirty-seventh meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG 37) of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer began on Monday, 4 April 2016, in Geneva, Switzerland. In the morning, plenary opened with a moment of silence to recognize the efforts of the late Mostafa Tolba (Egypt) in bringing the Vienna Convention “to life.” Participants also heard an opening statement from the Ozone Executive Secretary, Tina Birmpili, who underscored that the sole focus of OEWG 37 is to move forward on the implementation of the Dubai Pathway on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). OEWG 37 then dealt with organizational matters, followed by a presentation on the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) report on information on alternatives to ozone-depleting substances (ODS). Parties responded, seeking clarification on issues and suggesting future areas of work for the TEAP. In the afternoon, the Contact Group on the Feasability and Ways of Managing HFCs (HFCs Management Contact Group) resumed, focusing their discussion on key challenges and proposed solutions to the phase-out of HFCs. In the evening, delegates attened a reception hosted by the Ozone Secretariat. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage,provided daily web coverage from the 37th OEWG. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has producd a summary and analysis report of the 37th OEWG, which is available in HTML and PDF formats. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Rafael Da Soler, Brazil Iftikhar-ul-Hassan Gilani, Pakistan Tina Birmpili, Executive Secretary, Ozone Secretariat HFC Management Contact Group Co-Chair ​Patrick McInerney​, Australia View of the dais during the morning session Sergey Vasiliev, the Russian Federation Roberto Peixoto​, TEAP Member, Brazil Lambert Kuijpers, TEAP Member, the Netherlands Delegates from Nigeria Jacques Van Engel, UN Development Programme (UNDP), with Abdul-Kazeem Kasimu Bayero, Nigeria Montreal Protocol OEWG 37 observes a minute of silence for the passing of Mostafa Kamal Tolba. Lucie Desforges, Canada Manoj Kumar Singh, India John Thompson, US Samuel Pare, Burkina Faso Benjamin Deh-Deh, Côte D'Ivoire Igzobel Castro, Venezuela Taha Mohammed Zatari, Saudi Arabia OEWG 37 Co-Chairs Paul Krajnik, Austria, and Leslie Smith, Grenada Yaqoub Al-Matouq, Kuwait, with Hassan Ali Mubarak, Bahrain Ismael Nour, Djibouti Reine Marie Coly Badiane, Senegal, with Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Participants networking during the lunch break Emma Rachmawaty, Indonesia Philip Owen, European Union (EU) Emmanuel Nyaka, Sierra Leone Around the venue Reception hosted by the Ozone Secretariat