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Last Update: July 16, 2008
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- Paper Pulp Mills - Uruguay
- Corporate Accountability and Human Rights
- Climate Change and Human Rights
UNEP Head Embraces Accelerated Phase-Out of HCFCs under Montreal Protocol Targets
Nairobi , Kenya June 7, 2007. The head of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), Achim Steiner, closed a meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Montreal Protocol, by applauding countries´ willingness to address climate change concerns within the context of ozone negotiations – a bold new move on behalf of the Parties of the successful “Ozone Treaty”. Steiner lauded the vanguard approach of the accelerated phase-out strategy of HCFCs from 6 different proponents, including a joint proposal by Argentina and Brazil . The wave of discussion, instigated by this group of proposals received broad support in the Nairobi meetings, and resulted in a contact group that began addressing content and form on a path towards eventual negotiation of an Adjustment to the Protocol for the upcoming 20 th anniversary meeting of the Montreal Protocol this coming September.
The Montreal Protocol (MP), a global environmental treaty which was signed and went into force nearly 20 years ago to reverse depletion of the ozone layer, successfully achieved global political, technical and industrial coordination to phase out dangerous ozone depleting substances. The MP is considered to be one of the most successful, if not the most successful, global climate treaty ever. Heads of environmental ministries will meet in September to review achievements and set new targets for controlling ozone depleting substances in the upcoming decades.
Steiner, who shared the podium in Norway on World Environment Day with Romina Picolotti , Argentina ' s Environment Secretary , underlined the Secretary's breadth of vision in recognizing and taking action on the potential for significant positive impact for change through the Montreal Protocol. Argentina and Brazil jointly devised the HCFC accelerated phase-out proposal, and now seek support from other States to get behind the initiative. During the Nairobi meetings, Argentina drew attention to recent groundbreaking scientific research that shows the enormous benefits the MP has brought to reducing climate change, and the potential added contribution that the accelerated phase out could have for climate and ozone co-benefits – effectively surpassing all mitigation achieved by the Kyoto Protocol. Helping restore the ozone, has inadvertently helped slow and repair our climate!
Further reduction of ozone depleting substances, commonly found in refrigerants and old technology aerosols, a proposal that does not generate the controversy surrounding the Kyoto accords , according to new studies, could still make significant contributions to reducing and even reversing climate change. Perhaps much more so that Kyoto would ever achieve under present conditions.
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