The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is a global agreement to protect the Earth’s ozone layer by phasing out the chemicals that deplete it. This phase-out plan includes both the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. The landmark agreement was signed in 1987 and entered into force in 1989.

The parties to the Protocol meet once a year to make decisions aimed at ensuring the successful implementation of the agreement. These include adjusting or amending the Protocol, which has been done six times since its creation. The most recent amendment, the Kigali Amendment, called for the phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in 2016. These HFCs were used as replacements for a batch of ozone-depleting substances eliminated by the original Montreal Protocol. Although they do not deplete the ozone layer, they are known to be powerful greenhouse gases and, thus, contributors to climate change.

The Montreal Protocol provided a set of practical, actionable tasks that were universally agreed on. The Protocol has successfully met its objectives thus far and continues to safeguard the ozone layer today. Thanks to the collaborative effort of nations around the world, the ozone layer is well on its way to recovery.

Decision XXIV/17: Status of the establishment of licensing systems under Article 4B of the Montreal Protocol

Noting that paragraph 3 of Article 4B of the Montreal Protocol requires each party, within three months of the date of introducing its system for licensing the import and export of new, used, recycled and reclaimed controlled substances in Annexes A, B, C and E of the Protocol, to report to the Secretariat on the establishment and operation of that system,

Noting with appreciation that 191 of the 192 parties to the Montreal Amendment to the Protocol have established import and export licensing systems for ozone-depleting substances as required by the Amendment and that they have provided disaggregated information on their licensing systems detailing which annexes and groups of substances under the Montreal Protocol are subject to those systems,

Recognizing that licensing systems provide for the monitoring of imports and exports of ozone‑depleting substances, prevent illegal trade and enable data collection,

Recognizing also that the successful phase-out of most ozone-depleting substances by parties is largely attributable to the establishment and implementation of licensing systems to control the import and export of ozone-depleting substances,

  1. To congratulate South Sudan for having recently ratified all amendments to the Montreal Protocol, and to request the party to establish an import and export licensing system for ozone-depleting substances consistent with Article 4 B of the Protocol and to report to the Secretariat by 30 September 2013 on the establishment of that system;
  2. To urge the Gambia, which operates a licensing system for ozone-depleting substances that does not include export controls, to ensure that that system is structured in accordance with Article 4 B of the Protocol and that it provides for the licensing of exports and to report thereon to the Secretariat;
  3. To encourage Botswana, which is non-party to the Montreal Amendment to the Protocol and has not yet established a licensing system to control imports and exports of ozone‑depleting substances, to ratify the Amendment and to establish such a licensing system;
  4. To review periodically the status of the establishment of import and export licensing systems for ozone-depleting substances by all parties to the Protocol as called for in Article 4 B of the Protocol;