Ozone and Related Environmental Laws

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Ozone and Related Environmental Laws

Content
Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer 
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer 
Kigali Agreement           

Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer
The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer is a Multilateral Environmental Agreement. It was agreed upon at the Vienna Conference of 1985 and entered into force in 1988. In terms of universality, it is one of the most successful treaties of all time, having been ratified by 197 states (all United Nations members) as well as the European Union
India became Party to the Vienna Convention on 18th March, 1991
It acts as a framework for the international efforts to protect the ozone layer. However, it does not include legally binding reduction goals for the use of CFCs, the main chemical agents causing ozone depletion. These are laid out in the accompanying Montreal Protocol.

Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (legally binding)
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (a protocol to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer) is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. It was agreed on 26 August 1987, and entered into force on 26 August 1989, followed by a first meeting in Helsinki, May 1989. Since then, it has undergone nine revisions, in 1990 (London), 1991 (Nairobi), 1992 (Copenhagen), 1993 (Bangkok), 1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), 1998 (Australia), 1999 (Beijing) and 2016 
The two ozone treaties have been ratified by 197 parties, which includes 196 states and the European Union, making them the first universally ratified treaties in United Nations history
The Montreal Protocol opened for signature on September 16, 1987. This date is observed as International Ozone Day every year. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had designated 16 September as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer on December 19, 1994.
Montreal Protocol stipulates that the production and consumption of compounds that deplete ozone in the stratosphere-chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform-are to be phased out by 2000 (2005 for methyl chloroform). As per the latest amendment, the treaty now calls for complete phase out of HCFC by 2030.
India became a party to the Montreal Protocol in 1992. India has emerged as a global leader in promoting smooth transition for phasing out Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS).
Multilateral Fund
The main objective of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol is to assist developing country parties to the Montreal Protocol whose annual per capita consumption and production of ozone depleting substances (ODS) is less than 0.3 kg to comply with the control measures of the Protocol. Currently, 147 of the 196 Parties to the Montreal Protocol meet these criteria (they are referred to as Article 5 countries; India is in Article 5).
It embodies the principle agreed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 that countries have a common but differentiated responsibility to protect and manage the global commons.
The work of the Multilateral Fund on the ground in developing countries is carried out by four Implementing Agencies, which have contractual agreements with the Executive Committee:
Funds are used, for example, to finance the conversion of existing manufacturing processes, train personnel, pay royalties and patent rights on new technologies, and establish national ozone offices.
Article 5 countries and Non-Article 5 countries
Under the Montreal Protocol, there are Article 5 countries and Non-Article 5 counties; Article 5 countries are developing countries and Non-Article 5 countries are developed countries.
India is in Article 5 countries. For complete list of Article 5 and Non article 5 countries refer below link.
http://ozone.unep.org/en/article-5-parties-status
India has proactively phased out the production and consumption of CFCs except use in Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIs) used for treatment of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) ailments from 1st August, 2008. Subsequently, the use of CFCs in MDIs has been phased out from December, 2012. India has also completely phased out production and consumption of CTC (carbon Tetrachloride) and halons as of 1st January, 2010. (What about methyl chloroform? According to GK TODAY chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs), Methyl Chloroform, CTC, halons and Methyl Bromide have been phased-out globally so it might be possible that Methyl chloroform has also been phased out in India also)
Success of Montreal Protocol
  • The Montreal Protocol has phased out nearly 100 kinds of CFCs and related fluorinated gases by 98%, an astonishing record
  • By 2010, worldwide consumption of 98% of all the chemicals in the protocol had been phased out.
  • Atmospheric levels of key ozone depleting substances are declining and it is estimated that with continued, full implementation of the Protocol’s provisions the global ozone layer should return to pre-1980 levels by around the middle of this century and the Antarctic Ozone around 15 years later.
  • The Montreal Protocol has not only contributed to protect the ozone layer but also has reduced Green House Gas (GHG) emissions 
Latest in News
India to eliminate use of HFC-23 by 2030 (October, 2016)
Taking the lead on tackling climate change, India has announced that it will eliminate the use of HFC-23, a greenhouse gas that harms the ozone layer, by 2030.

About HFC 23:
HFC-23 is a potent greenhouse gas with global warming potential of 14,800 times more than that of CO2. It is a by-product of HCFC-22, which is used in industrial refrigeration.
















Kigali Agreement
A historic global climate deal was reached in Kigali, Rwanda at the Twenty-Eighth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP28). The so called Kigali Amendment which amends the 1987 Montreal Protocol aims to phase out Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a family of potent greenhouse gases by the late 2040s. Under Kigali Amendment, in all 197 countries, including India have agreed to a timeline to reduce the use of HFCs by roughly 85% of their baselines by 2045 (Not 100% remember for prelims).

Significance of the Kigali Amendment
The Kigali Amendment amends the 1987 Montreal Protocol that was designed to close growing ozone hole by banning ozone-depleting coolants like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Thus, amended Montreal Protocol which was initially conceived only to plug gases that were destroying the ozone layer now includes HFCs responsible for global warming. This move will help to prevent a potential 0.5 degree Celsius rise in global temperature by the end of the century. (Prelims Pointer: Kigali - GHG + Ozone; Montreal Protocol - Only Ozone)

The Paris agreement which will come into force by 2020 is not legally binding on countries to cut their emissions. The Kigali Amendment is considered absolutely vital for reaching the Paris Agreement target of keeping global temperature rise to below 2-degree Celsius compared to pre-industrial times. (Prelims Pointer: Kigali - Legally binding, Paris Agreement - Not Legally binding)

Timelines for different groups under Kigali Amendment
All signatory countries have been divided into three groups with different timelines to go about reductions of HFCs.
  • First group: It includes richest countries like US and those in European Union (EU). They will freeze production and consumption of HFCs by 2018. They will reduce them to about 15% of 2012/baseline period of 2011-13 levels by 2036.  (Phasing out 85%)
  • Second group: It includes countries like China, Brazil and all of Africa etc. They will freeze HFC use by 2024 and cut it to 20% of 2021/2020-22 baseline HFC use levels by 2045. (Phasing out 80%)
  • Third group: It includes countries India, Pakistan, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia etc. They will be freezing HFC use by 2028 and reducing it to about 15% of 2025 levels by 2047.  (Phasing out 85%)
Freeze Year
Baseline Year
Target Year
Group I
2018
2012 (By 15%)
 By 2036
Group II
2024
2021 (By 20%)
By 2045
Group III (India is here)
2028
2025 (By 15%)
By 2047

What are base line year and freeze year?
  • Baseline year= average of three-year period
  • The production or consumption of the harmful substance, like HFC, in the baseline year (or the average of three-year period) serves as the baseline amount against which reductions are assigned in the phase down schedule.
  • Freeze year, which is a few years after the baseline period, is the time from when the use of the harmful chemical must begin to go below the average amounts used in the baseline period.
  • The use of the chemical can grow between the baseline year and the freeze year, but must come down to at least baseline levels in the freeze year.

 References:
unep.org
GK Today
CivilsDaily
Wikipedia

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