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As the world celebrates World Ozone Day on September 16, 2024, a landmark meeting in Montreal underscores the critical role of international cooperation in protecting our planet’s ozone layer and combating climate change. The forty-sixth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) of the Montreal Protocol, held from July 8 to 12, 2024, brings renewed urgency and optimism to the global effort to address environmental challenges.

World Ozone Day, observed annually since 1995, commemorates the signing of the Montreal Protocol, a landmark agreement designed to phase out substances that deplete the ozone layer. This day serves as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through global collaboration. It celebrates significant progress while also highlighting the need for continued action.

This year's OEWG meeting, hosted in the very city where the Montreal Protocol was born, set the stage for pivotal discussions and decisions. With the combined thirteenth Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (COP13) and the Thirty-Sixth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP36) on the horizon, scheduled for October 28 to November 1, 2024, in Bangkok, Thailand, the meeting was a crucial preparatory step.

Driving Solutions and Innovation

The meeting focused on actionable solutions to bolster the Protocol's impact. Delegates discussed the implementation of decisions from the previous MOP35, with significant updates from the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) and the Scientific Assessment Panel (SAP) on issues like very short-lived substances (VSLS), feedstock uses, and carbon tetrachloride (CTC) emissions. The Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) addressed concerns regarding UV radiation and persistent chemicals (PFAS), further emphasizing the need for targeted action.

One key area of focus was enhancing global atmospheric monitoring. Delegates explored the costs and logistics of establishing new monitoring stations for controlled substances, informed by earlier workshops and a Secretariat report on sustainable funding. This initiative aims to improve the accuracy and reach of global and regional monitoring efforts.

Addressing Emerging Challenges

Emerging challenges were also a top priority. The search for climate-friendly alternatives to hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used in metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) was a major topic. While HFCs are not ozone-depleting, they are potent climate-warming gases. Alternatives are anticipated to be available by 2026, providing a crucial step forward in reducing global warming impacts.

The future of halons, a widely used fire suppressant with significant global warming potential, was also debated. The discussion highlighted the need for viable alternatives and solutions to address the growing scarcity of halons.

Strengthening the Protocol's enforcement mechanisms was another critical discussion point. Delegates focused on combating illegal production and movement of controlled substances, enhancing licensing systems, and improving non-compliance mechanisms. Insights from TEAP on life-cycle refrigerant management (LRM) will be further reviewed prior to COP13/MOP36.

A Call to Global Action

The OEWG meeting also featured 23 side events, reflecting a wide range of topics relevant to ozone stakeholders and demonstrating the breadth of global engagement in these efforts.

On World Ozone Day, the Secretary-General's message was a powerful call to action: "At a time when multilateralism is under severe strain, the Montreal Protocol stands out as a powerful symbol of hope. It is a reminder that when countries show political resolve for the common good, change is possible."

The Secretary-General praised the Protocol’s achievements and emphasized the need to build on its success: "The ozone layer, once an ailing patient, is on the road to recovery. Now, it’s time to go further. The Kigali Amendment, focusing on phasing down climate-warming hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), can advance climate mitigation efforts and protect our planet. If fully ratified and implemented, it could help avoid as much as 0.5 degrees Celsius of global heating by the end of this century.