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 XXII/20: Treatment of stockpiled ozone-depleting substances

Recalling that in decision XVIII/17 the Secretariat was requested to maintain a consolidated record of the cases in which parties had explained that their excess production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances in a given year were a consequence of the production or import of ozone-depleting substances in that year that were stockpiled for some specified purposes in a future year,

Recalling also that the Secretariat was also requested to incorporate that record in the documentation prepared for each meeting of the Implementation Committee, for information purposes only, as well as in the Secretariat's report on data submitted by the Parties in accordance with Article 7 of the Protocol,

Noting that the Secretariat has reported 29 cases since 1999 involving 12 parties that have exceeded the allowed level of production or consumption of a particular ozone-depleting substance in a given year and explained that their excess production or consumption resulted from one of the scenarios mentioned above,

  1. To remind all parties to report all production of ozone-depleting substances, whether intended or unintended, to enable the calculation of their production and consumption according to Article 3 of the Protocol;
  2. To request parties, when reporting data under Article 7 of the Protocol, to identify any excess production and consumption that is a consequence of ozone-depleting substance production in the reporting year:
    1. For domestic destruction or export for destruction in a future year;
    2. For domestic feedstock use or export for that use in a future year;
    3. For export to meet basic domestic needs of developing countries in a future year;
  3. That in any case mentioned in paragraph 2 no follow-up action from the Implementation Committee is deemed necessary if the party reports that it has the necessary measures in place to prohibit the use of the ozone-depleting substances for any other purpose than those designated in items (a)-(c) of paragraph 2 at the time of production;
  4. To request the Secretariat to continue to maintain a consolidated record of the cases covered by paragraph 2, to incorporate that record in the documentation prepared for each meeting of the Implementation Committee, and to include it in the Secretariat's report on data submitted by the parties in accordance with Article 7 of the Protocol;