Highlights from Monday, 30 October
The Eighteenth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP-18) began on Monday morning with opening speeches, adoption of the agenda and agreement on the organization of work. Throughout the day, delegates discussed a wide range of agenda items, including: issues arising out of the 2006 reports of the TEAP; stockpiled ozone-depleting substances (ODS) in the context of non-compliance; disclosure of interest guidelines for the TEAP and its Technical Options Committees; difficulties faced by some Article 5 parties in phasing out CFCs in the manufacture of MDIs; a feasibility study on developing a system for monitoring the transboundary movement of ODS between parties; and key challenges to be faced by parties in the next decade. Contact groups and informal discussions on many of these issues were also held. |
| Delegates were treated to an Indian dance performance |
| Prodipto Ghosh, Secretary for Environment and Forests, India, with Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State for Environment and Forests, India (left photo); Thiru A. Raja, India's Minister of Environment and Forests, with
Marco González, Executive Secretary of the Ozone Secretariat |
Gilbert Bankobeza, Ozone Secretariat (left)
While stressing the importance of the Montreal Protocol, Thiru A. Raja, India's Minister of Environment and Forests (center), called upon delegates to consider favourably the use of CFCs in MDIs in developing countries, given the lack of viable technologies. He also noted other issues to be discussed at the meeting, including the safe disposal of unused ODS and illegal trade.
Marco González, Executive Secretary, Ozone Secretariat (right), opened MOP-18's preparatory segment, commending India 's strong commitment to the Montreal Protocol. He highlighted progress achieved in reducing ODS, and current challenges and opportunities for advancing the goals of the Protocol. |
Thiru A. Raja, India's Minister of Environment and Forests, and Marco González, Executive Secretary, Ozone Secretariat (left photo); and A. Duraisamy, Ozone Cell, Ministry of Environment and Forests, India, with Gilbert Bankobeza, Ozone Secretariat |
John Thompson, US (left); Marcia Levaggi, Argentina (right), emphasized the importance of HCFCs and the incentives created by the Clean Development Mechanism, and noted that it was drafting a decision. |
| Ana Maria Contreras Vigil, Mexico supported the Canadian proposal to adjust the Protocol's provision concerning production of CFCs to meet the basic domestic needs of Article 5 parties. She emphasized the need for affordable pharmaceutical-grade CFCs for use in MDIs in Article 5 parties.
Expressing concern that lack of funds for Article 5 participation may affect the work of the TEAP and its TOCs, Sateeaved Seebaluck, Mauritius, said consideration of the issue must be wider than discussions in the budget committee. |
Danielle Grabiel, Environmental Investigation Agency (left), emphasized that the global warming potential of HCFCs and HFCs could rival the total greenhouse gas emissions of the EU by 2015, and urged an accelerated and fully-funded phase-out.
MOP-18 Co-Chair Tom Land (center)
The EC (right) noted its concern with increasing use of n-propyl bromide (NPB), and suggested that the TEAP obtain more information on NPB and assess global emissions. It also noted it would table a draft decision on the matter.
Nigeria (left) said that we may be already too late to address HCFCs; Cuba (center) suggested discussing key challenges over the next decade in Plenary; and regarding the expert meeting on the report of the TEAP and the IPCC, Dan Reifsnyder, US,
stated that prioritization of the measures was likely to be "peculiar" to parties. |
| Duncan Brack, Chatham House, Alexander von Bismarck, EIA, and Ezra Clarke, EIA, discussed their feasibility study on monitoring illegal trade in ODS. |
| Canada urged establishment of a contact group to discuss its proposal to adjust the Protocol's provision concerning production of CFCs to meet the basic domestic needs of Article 5 parties. |
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| Three young girls walked up to the podium to claim their in-flight ozone coloring competition prize, which was sponsored by UNEP DTIE and Air India. |
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