The Montreal Protocol in 2010. Dynamic Action for Ozone and Climate Protection.

The Montreal Protocol is at a crossroads in its efforts to restore Earth's ozone layer. In light of the escalating pace of global warming, controlling and minimizing the adverse climate impacts associated with the phase-out of ozone depleting chemicals has become obligatory. Recognizing this, the Multilateral Fund has approved numerous pilot projects to develop, demonstrate and commercialize technologies to transition directly from HCFCs to low Global Warming Potential alternatives.

June 2010 [ read report ]

An unparalleled opportunity for Copenhagen: Eliminate HFCs.

Halogenated gases currently contribute 12% to overall radiative forcing. While actions under the Montreal Protocol are already addressing CFCs and HCFCs, atmospheric concentrations of some HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) are rising rapidly, by more than 23% each year. It is essential that a decision to agree to take appropriate measures under the Montreal Protocol to reduce HFC production and use is part of any Agreed Outcome in Copenhagen.

December 2009 [ read report ]

Recovery and Destruction of ODS Banks: Urgent action for global climate protection.

Over the last 21 years global implementation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol) as successfully phased out the consumption and production of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) by 95% in developed countries and 50-75% of the ODS in developing countries. Since most ODS are “super”
greenhouse gases with global warming potentials hundreds or thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide, this phase-out has had dramatic impacts on mitigating climate change. Unfortunately, once ODS are released onto the market, they are no longer regulated under either the Montreal Protocol or the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

October 2009 [ read report ]

A Bridge Between Conventions: The Global Solution for HFCs.

A joint initiative by the UNFCCC and the Montreal Protocol to control HFC emissions and implement a phase down of HFC production and use will be an extraordinary first step toward solving the global climate crisis.

September 2009 [ read report ]

The HFC Imperative: Essential action for global climate protection.

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) have been commercialized as substitutes for ODS. The HFCs being used as ODS substitutes are powerful greenhouse gases with global-warming potentials hundreds to thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide (CO2). Recent scientific evidence indicates that GWP-weighted HFC emissions alone could equate to as much as 45% of CO2 emissions by 2050, thus eclipsing efforts to redress global warming.

July 2009 [ read report ]

A Climate Briefing: The Montreal Protocol must work in collaboration with the climate talks to regulate HFCs to prevent exacerbation of global climate change while restoring the ozone layer.

January 2009 [ read report ]

Facing the F-Gas Challenge: The Urgent Need for a Global HFC phase-out

Production and use of F-gases, including HCFCs and HFCs with high Global Warming Potentials (GWPs), is growing rapidly, even though climate and ozone-neutral alternatives exist. In this briefing, EIA calls for rapid agreement by the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to phase-out production and consumption of HFCs.

December 2007 [ read report ]

An Early Freeze to Stop the Warming: The urgency of an accelerated phase-out for HCFCs

This briefing reviews phase out scenarios under discussion at the 19th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, concluding that an aggressive phase out scenario will be practical and necessary to achieve maximum benefits for the climate and the ozone layer. An early phase-out was indeed adopted at the 20th meeting in October 2007.

September 2007 [ read report ]

HCFC Phase-out: A comparative assessment of the proposed adjustments

This briefing compares the various HCFC adjustment proposals which were submitted to the Ozone Secretariat for consideration at the 27th Open Ended Working Group of the Montreal Protocol, and makes recommendations as to the elements which should be included in a final Adjustment decided on by Parties.

May 2007 [ read report ]

Preventing Illegal Trade in ODS: Strengthening the Montreal Protocol licensing system

This briefing document describes the shortcomings of the Montreal Protocol’s licensing system and explains how this could be significantly improved by incorporating elements of prior notification of shipments, enhanced tracking of consignments, and more effective information sharing.

May 2007 [ read report ]

ODS Tracking: A feasibility study on developing a system for monitoring the transboundary movement of controlled ozone-depleting substances between the Parties to the Montreal Protocol

A report produced according to the terms of reference of Decision XVII/16 of the Montreal Protocol by the Environmental Investigation Agency and Chatham House.

September 2006 [ read report ]

Turning Up the Heat: Linkages between ozone layer depletion and climate change

This report describes how hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) – promoted by the Montreal Protocol as ozone-friendly chemicals – have a warming potential 10,000 times greater than carbon dioxide. The report also highlights the role of China’s uncontrolled production of these chemicals, as well as the dangerous consequences of the failure to coordinate policies between the Montreal Protocol and the Kyoto Protocol that control HCFCs and HFCs, respectively.

August 2006 [ read report ]

Opportunity Wasted: Methyl Bromide: Our best chance to Reduce Ozone Depletion Now

This 2006 EIA report pin-points Methyl Bromide as both the biggest obstacle and greatest opportunity remaining to protect the ozone layer. The report highlights threats posed by Methyl Bromide, implications of stockpiling this dangerous chemical, and recommendations for the U.S. government and other Parties of the Montreal Protocol.

August 2006 [ read report ]

Under the Counter: China’s Booming Illegal Trade in Ozone Depleting Substances

This report, the result of eight years of undercover investigations, reveals how Chinese smugglers evade restrictions and supply chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to the black market. EIA calls on China to fully investigate the firms named in this report and for Parties of the Montreal Protocol to put in place effective measures to control and track the trade in all ozone-depleting substances.

December 2005 [ read report ]

The Continued Destruction of the Ozone Layer: U.S. Abuse of Methyl Bromide Exemptions

This report, released to coincide with the Second Extraordinary Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, describes recent severe depletion of the ozone layer over the northern hemisphere and U.S. demands to continue producing and consuming the potent ozone-destroying chemical, methyl bromide, which was to be phased out in the developed world on January 1, 2005.

June 2005 [ read report ]