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"The best way for governments to protect the integrity of the Montreal Protocol -- one of the most successful and important international treaties ever adopted -- is to send a powerful signal to both producers and users that methyl bromide does not have a future,"” said Klaus Toepfer, executive director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
Under the Montreal Protocol, developed countries have agreed to reduce methyl bromide by 25 per cent by 1999 (compared to 1991 levels), 50 per cent by 2001, 70 per cent by 2003 and 100 per cent by 1 January 2005. For developing countries the schedule started with a 2002 freeze (at average 1995-98 levels) and continues with reductions of 20 per cent by 2005 and 100 per cent by 2015.
Under today's agreement, 11 developed countries have received exemptions to the phase-out totaling 13,438 metric tons of methyl bromide for 2005. The 2001 consumption figure for all 34 developed countries in 2001 was 23,488 tons (for developing countries, it was 18,058).
The 11 countries are Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.
In addition, the United States has agreed to limit its 2005 production levels for methyl bromide to 7,659 tons (equal to 30 per cent of its baseline, as compared with 35 per cent for its exemption). This means that it will supply some of its exemptions from existing stockpiles. Similarly, the eight European Union countries will supply 100 tons of their combined 4,011-ton exemption from existing stockpiles.
The Montreal Protocol allows governments to apply for exemptions when there are no technically or economically feasible alternatives or for health or safety reasons. For example, specific exemptions have been granted under the Protocol so that developed countries can still use CFCs in Metered Dosed Inhalers (MDIs) for the treatment of asthma and other chronic respiratory diseases.
In addition to agreeing on the exemptions for 2005, the meeting launched a process for elaborating more detailed procedures and reporting requirements for requesting and granting future exemptions. This process will also seek to more rigorously define the economic factors that can be used to justify an exemption.
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