The Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer considered scientific findings related to “the twin challenges of ozone depletion and climate change,” including several issues of concern that could hinder the Protocol’s effective implementation. Delegates also discussed at length the replenishment of the Multilateral Fund (MLF) for the triennium 2024-2026.

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) summary report of the 45th meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (OEWG 45) highlights that science has been the Protocol’s “bedrock” and “the cornerstone of its success.” Yet, it notes, the Montreal Protocol, which is widely regarded as the most successful multilateral environmental agreement (MEA), has recently faced implementation challenges of its own.

At OEWG 45, delegates examined the quadrennial reports by the Scientific Assessment Panel (SAP), the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP), and the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP), including the findings on:

• illegal import/export of obsolete equipment;
• stratospheric aerosol injection, a proposed geoengineered solution for solar radiation management;
• adjustments to the freeze and phase-down levels established by the Protocol and its Kigali Amendment;
• emissions of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)-23;
• gaps in the global coverage of atmospheric monitoring of controlled substances; and
• very short-lived substances with ozone depleting potential.

Delegates held extensive discussions on the report of the TEAP’s Replenishment Task Force (RTF) on the replenishment of the Multilateral Fund (MLF) for the triennium 2024-2026. According to the report, the estimated replenishment need sits at approximately USD 1 billion, which, the ENB analysis of the meeting notes, is “roughly double compared to any of the previous budget triennia.” Delegates requested that the Task Force prepare “a supplementary report addressing a list of elements for additional analysis,” which, ENB writes, will be considered at the 35th Meeting of the Parties (MOP 35) in October 2023.

OEWG 45 convened in Bangkok, Thailand, from 3-7 July 2023. A one-day workshop on strengthening the effective implementation and enforcement of the Montreal Protocol took place ahead of the meeting on 2 July. Participants shared experiences with addressing illegal trade in controlled substances. They also discussed informal versus mandatory prior informed consent (PIC) for the transboundary movement of controlled substances. [ENB Coverage of OEWG 45]