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Update:
The
High-level Segment of MOP-11/COP-5 opened with keynote speeches from Jiang
Zemin, President of China, Shafqat Kakakhel, Deputy Executive Director
of UNEP, and Vassily Tselikov, President of COP-4 and MOP-10. Delegates
adopted the agenda, elected the Bureaux of COP-5 and MOP-11, and heard
presentations by: the Assessment Panels; UN agencies and the GEF; and
the Multilateral Fund Executive Committee Chair. Ministers and Heads of
Delegations from 14 Parties delivered statements outlining national policies
and experiences. Informal consultations convened to consider: proposed
adjustments and an amendment to the Montreal Protocol; replenishment of
the Multilateral Fund; and the Beijing Declaration.
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Jiang
Zemin, President of China, welcomed delegates to the High-level Segment.
He noted that China has adopted a sustainable development strategy
which, in addition to tackling domestic environmental problems, is
contributing to global environmental protection. He said developed
countries should recognize the impact of their development on the
global environment and assist developing countries in strengthening
environmental protection while pursuing economic development. |
 Shafqat
Khakakel, Deputy Executive Director of UNEP, noted the unprecedented
success of the ozone regime, with an 85% reduction in production and
consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) in industrialized
countries. He stated that 2000 would be “a year of truth,” as the
result of the mandated CFC freeze in developing countries would then
be available. He reported that, without the Montreal Protocol, ozone
depletion would have been 10 times greater and an additional 20 million
cases of skin cancer would have occurred. "A continuous vigil
is needed with regards to new ODSs"
RealAudio excerpts |
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Vassily
Tselikov, MOP-10/COP-4 President, stressed the importance of gathering
accurate and extensive measurements of ozone levels on an ongoing
basis to determine whether measures taken are having the desired effect.
He supported cooperation between the Assessment Panels and other relevant
bodies, such as the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological
Advice of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC). |
| Executive
Secretary Sarma expressed regret at the death in May 1999 of Winfried
Lang, who had presided over the negotiations leading to the adoption
of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol. He said the international
environmental community had lost an outstanding figure. Here participants
are seen raising for a moment of silence in his memory . |
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Election
of officers: Delegates elected by acclamation Fabio Fajardo-Moros
(Cuba, left) as President of COP-5 and Roberto Stadthagen Vogl
(Nicaragua, below) as President of MOP-11. |
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Gerard Magie, Co-Chair of the Scientific Assessment Panel (SAP) presented
the findings of the 1998 scientific assessment. He noted, inter
alia, that total abundance of ODS is now slowly decreasing, but that
recovery from ozone loss will be slow. He also highlighted linkages
between ozone depletion and climate change. |
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Pieter Aucamp, Co-Chair of the SAP, presented
the IPCC special report on aviation and the global atmosphere
noting, inter alia, that reducing the impact of aircraft on ozone
depletion would require improved efficiency and management strategies,
and that the development of supersonic aircraft would have an adverse
effect on the ozone layer. |
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Steve
Gorman, Unit Chief, Montreal Protocol Operations, World Bank, highlighted
the Bank's ozone-related projects, including a small and medium-sized
enterprise (SME) commercial refrigeration project in Thailand and
a national CFC phase-out activity in Malaysia. |
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Suely Carvalho, Co-Chair of the Technology and Economic Assessment
Panel (TEAP), supported significant technology transfer efforts
to disseminate non-ODS alternatives as widely as possible, and opposed
new metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) using CFCs. She noted challenges
for the future, including the need to promote substitutes for MB.
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Jan
C. van der Luen, Co-Chair of the Environmental Effects Assessment
Panel, discussed the 1998 Assessment Report and the 1999 Interim Summary
Report on the environmental effects of ozone depletion. He indicated
that the Protocol and its amendments had significantly decreased the
projected levels of skin cancers and eye cataracts, while noting that,
even with these interventions, increases in the rates of these conditions
could be expected over the next few decades. |
| Statements
by Ministers and Heads of delagations: BRAZIL highlighted progress
in implementing the Montreal Protocol, including termination of CFC
production and elimination of ODS use in air conditioners, solvents
and aerosols. He identified the next challenge as phasing-out ODS
in SMEs in the foam and refrigeration sectors. |
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FINLAND, on behalf of the EU, stated that concessional lending
should be an important element of the Multilateral Fund replenishment.
Concerning new commitments, he said production of HCFCs, trade
in HCFCs with non-Parties and quarantine and pre-shipment (QPS)
use of MB should be controlled. He called for the adoption of
a Beijing Amendment. |
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Side
Event: ODS Smuggling
The United States Department of Justice (http://www.usdoj.gov)
held a lunch time forum on addressing smuggling of ozone depleting
substances (ODS). Bruce Pasfield, Assistant Chief of the United States
Department of Justice, opened the forum with an overview of the ODS
smuggling situation in the United States. At present, the United States
has the largest black market for ODS, primarily for CFCs used in automobile
air conditioning systems. Pasfield said this market is likely to shift
to other countries as the US implements policies to comply with the
Montreal Protocol, such as the 1994 prohibition against manufacturing
automobiles with CFC based air conditioning systems. Noreen McCarthy,
US Department of Justice Trial Attorney, presented the results of
a survey on ODS smuggling conducted in 23 countries. Countries surveyed
identified areas where they could benefit from assistance in addressing
ODS smuggling, including training prosecutors, investigative agents
and customs officials, as well as drafting legislation, coordinating
agencies and implementing a license or permit program. To date, there
have been 86 convictions for ODS smuggling in the United States. |
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