Highlights and images for 4 November 2019

Summary

Highlights for Monday, 4 November 2019

(L-R) Laura Juliana Arciniegas, OEWG 41 Co-Chair; René Castro-Salazar, Assistant Director-General, Climate, Biodiversity, Land and Water Development; Megumi Seki, Deputy Executive Secretary, Ozone Secretariat

The thirty-first Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP 31) opened its preparatory segment on Monday, 4 November 2019 at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy.In his opening remarks, Roberto Morassut, Italian Undersecretary of State, Ministry of the Environment, Land and Sea, stated that the Montreal Protocol is an inspiration for a transition to a sustainable world. René Castro-Salazar, Assistant Director-General, Climate, Biodiversity, Land and Water Development, FAO, added that pooling the abilities of environment and agriculture ministers can make strides towards fully eliminating food loss. Tina Birmpili, Executive Secretary, Ozone Secretariat, said parties need to collectively decide how to move the Protocol forward to address new challenges.
The main topic of discussion was the agenda item on unexpected emissions of trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11). The Assessment Panels presented their report on the issue, China presented on their efforts to address the issue, and parties deliberated on the way forward. Highlights of the discussion include:

There has likely been a resumption of new CFC-11 production for closed cell foams;

China has reinforced and stepped up its law enforcement to ensure it fulfils its obligations under the Protocol;

Whether the contact group should be forward-looking and focus only on institutional matters and processes; and

The goal is to ensure that the problem is fixed, with a view to assessing what short- or long-term actions are necessary.

Delegates addressed a range of topics throughout the day. These included agenda items on:

The terms of reference (ToR) for the study on the 2021–2023 replenishment of the Multilateral Fund (MLF);

The potential areas of focus for the 2022 quadrennial assessment reports of the Assessment Panels;

Ongoing reported emissions of carbon tetrachloride (CTC); and

Nominations for critical-use exemptions (CUEs) for methyl bromide for 2020 and 2021.

Two contact groups on the potential areas of focus for the 2022 quadrennial assessment reports and on CFC-11 were established, as well as the budget committee.Delegates arriving at MOP 31 faced an extremely full agenda. With the opening statements reminding them of the recent challenges facing the Protocol, many were heard remarking that introspection is required to assess what needs to be altered in light of changing circumstances and collectively agree on a way forward, especially if parties want to walk away at the end of the week saying “Veni, Vidi, Vici”—I came, I saw, I conquered.For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) meeting coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from MOP 31. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report in HTML and PDF.

Photos by IISD/ENB | Natalia Mroz

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