Highlights and images for 6 November 2019

The Ozone Secretariat, OEWG 41 Co-Chairs and Yaqoub Almatouq, Kuwait

On Wednesday, 6 November 2019, delegates convened for the final day of the thirty-first Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol’s (MOP 31) preparatory segment in Rome, Italy. In the morning, delegates addressed, among others:

• The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) risk of non-compliance with HCFC reduction targets for 2019;
• The Rome Declaration on the contribution of the Montreal Protocol to the sustainable cold chain to reduce food losses;
• The membership of Montreal Protocol bodies for 2020; and,
• The status of ratification of the Kigali Amendment.

Plenary adjourned for contact group and informal discussions to take place. Formal contact groups discussed the 2022 quadrennial assessment, the Multilateral Fund (MLF) Replenishment Study, and the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) Terms of Reference (ToR).Plenary reconvened in the afternoon to hear an update from parties on outstanding agenda items, including:

• Process agents;
• Unexpected CFC-11 emissions;
• Methyl bromide stocks; and
• Compliance and data reporting issues.

As there were a number of outstanding agenda items, the preparatory segment was unable to conclude, and therefore will run in parallel to the high-level segment (HLS).In the evening, the contact group on CFC-11, and the informal group on the MLF Executive Committee (ExCom) Membership met.One draft decision, on the status of ratification of the Kigali Amendment, was forwarded to the HLS for adoption.With a very full agenda and cognizant of time running out, delegates were constructive in their deliberations, with many recognizing that smaller formal and informal contact groups outside of plenary would be the most conducive setting to make progress. Throughout the day, whether in plenary or in contact groups, parties maintained that scientific vigilance must remain a cornerstone for the Protocol.For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

Gilbert Bankobeza, Ozone Secretariat

Tina Birmpili, Executive Secretary, Ozone Secretariat

(L-R) Alain Wilmart, OEWG 41 Co-Chair, Cristiano Piacente, Italy, Megumi Seki, Deputy Executive Secretary, Ozone Secretariat

Rajendra Shende, TEAP

Delegates from Saudi Arabia in discussion

Eava Nurmi, Finland

Alejandro Ramirez and Cecilia Mercado, MLF Secretariat

Delegates confer during the plenary session

Paulo Cezar Rotella Braga, Brazil

Nagat Mahmoud Adam Ali, Sudan

Jessica Escaip, New Zealand

A delegate reviewing meeting documentation

Delegates from Suriname in discussion

Flavio Malaguerra, Switzerland

Delegates convene after the plenary session

Cornelius Rhein, EU

Ibrahima Cissé, Guinea

MLF Replenishment Study Contact Group

The room during the MLF Replenishment Study Contact Group

A delegate listens to the proceedings

Lambert Kuijpers, TEAP

Bryndis Woods, International Institute of Sustainable Development

Contact Group Co-Facilitators Ralph Brieskorn, the Netherlands and Leslie Smith, Grenada

Laura Niskanen, EU

TEAP TOR Contact Group

Lara Haider, Lebanon and Philip Chemouny, Canada, Co-Facilitators of the TEAP TOR Contact Group

Martin Sirois, Canada

Sistla Subbarao, India

Contact Group on the Potential Areas of Focus for the 2022 Quadrennial Assessment Reports

Cindy Newberg, US, Co-Facilitator of the contact group

Henry Wohrnschimmel, Switzerland

Delegates from Saudi Arabia discuss the draft text

Annie Gabriel, Australia

Time keeping during the session

Around the Venue

(L-R) Lara Haider, Lebanon, Cecilia Mercado, MLF Secretariat, Yaqoub Almatouq, Kuwait, and Nadia Sohier Zaman, International Institute for Sustainable Development

The Scientific Assessment Panel poses for a photo

Delegates take a photo before the start of the session

Delegates taking notes