Report Of The Sixth Conference Of Parties To The Vienna Convention

CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE
VIENNA CONVENTION FOR THE
PROTECTION OF THE OZONE
LAYER
Sixth meeting
Rome, 29 November2002

Introduction

1. The sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, from 25 to 29 November 2002. .

2. The meeting was held jointly with the Fourteenth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

I. OPENING OF THE MEETING

As the meeting was held jointly with the Fourteenth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, under a single agenda for both meetings, the report on the opening of the meeting is contained in the report of the Fourteenth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (UNEP/OzL.Conv.6/7, UNEP/OzL.Pro.14/9).

II. ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS

A. Attendance

4The list of participants attending the combined sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention and the Fourteenth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol may be found in the relevant paragraphs of the report of the Fourteenth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (UNEP/OzL.Conv.6/7, UNEP/OzL.Pro.14/9)..

B. Election of officers

5. In accordance with rule 21, paragraph 1, of the rules of procedure, the following officers were elected, by acclamation, at the opening session of the high-level segment of the joint meeting.

President: Mr. Paul Horwitz, United States of America

(Western European and others group)

Vice-Presidents: Mr. Jiri Hlavacek, Czech Republic

(Eastern European group)

Mr. Victor Yameogo, Burkina Faso

(African group)

Mr. Shajahan Siraj, Bangladesh

(Asian and Pacific group)

Rapporteur: Mr. Javier Camargo, Colombia

(Latin America and Caribbean group)

:

President: Mr. Fabio Fajardo-Moros (Cuba)
(Latin American and Caribbean group)

Vice-Presidents: Ms. Toure Idiatou Camara (Guinea)
(African group)

Mr. Choi Jai-Chul (Republic of Korea)
(Asian and Pacific group)

Mr. Blaise Horisberger (Switzerland)
(Western European and others group)

Rapporteur: Ms. Marija Teriosina (Lithuania)
(Eastern European group)

C. Adoption of the agenda

6. The agenda for the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention may be found in the report of the Fourteenth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (UNEP/OzL.Conv.6/7, UNEP/OzL.Pro.14/9).

.

D. Organization of work

7. The meeting agreed to follow its customary procedure and to establish contact groups as necessary..

E. Credentials of representatives

1. The report on the credentials of representatives to the sixth meeting of the Vienna Convention may be found in the report of the Fourteenth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (UNEP/OzL.Conv.6/7, UNEP/OzL.Pro.14/9).

III. SUBSTANTIVE MATTERS

2. As the combined meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention and the Fourteenth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol followed a single agenda, the report of the deliberations under the substantive items of the agenda may be found in the report of the Fourteenth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (UNEP/OzL.Pro.14/9).

III. DISCUSSION ON ISSUES RELATING TO THE VIENNA CONVENTION

A. Status of ratification of the Vienna Convention, the Montreal Protocol

and its Amendments to the Montreal Protocol

3. The Executive Secretary reported that, since the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention, held in Beijing in 1999, 12 additional Parties had ratified the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol; 28 had ratified the London Amendment; 40 had ratified the Copenhagen Amendment; 55 the Montreal Amendment; and 41 the Beijing Amendment. He welcomed Guinea-Bissau as the latest member of the ozone community, its instruments of ratification having been received just days before.

B. Recommendations by the Bureau of the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the

Vienna Convention arising out of the fifth meeting of the Ozone Research Managers

4. The President of the Bureau of the Vienna Convention reported that the Bureau had examined the recommendations arising out of the fifth meeting of the Ozone Research Managers. Some priority areas for research had been identified, and a draft budget had been prepared by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to cover those areas, to ensure that high-quality work continued to be carried out and to increase scientific capacity. A draft decision would be submitted to the Parties shortly.
5. A number of representatives spoke in favour of funding such research, several of them describing the research work being pursued in their own countries. In many cases, the research had slowed down or even stopped owing to a lack of funding, particularly for maintenance and calibration of the measuring instruments. One representative, cautioning against a complacent attitude to the ozone problem, noted that while the ozone layer did seem to be recovering, climate change was at the same time impacting the recovery. Consequently, more research and systematic observations were needed. Another representative said that there was a need for such research to be grounded in the practical questions of what the findings and readings actually meant in terms of health or food security, while another urged that the issue be resolved at the current meeting, rather than being left to the next meeting of the Parties to the Vienna Convention, three years hence.
6. In answer to some representatives, who sought clarification of aspects of the proposed budget for the high-quality work to be carried out, the observer from WMO stressed that the budget was for a long-term project, intended to give some security to Article 5 Parties that wished to establish ozone measurement programmes and installations. He said that the ability to track the expected recovery of the ozone layer relied totally upon maintaining the measurement capabilities for column ozone that were in place. Satellite measurement systems were not always reliable and, if they failed, time was needed to re-establish their capability. On the other hand, ground-based measuring instruments had proved reliable, if systematically maintained and upgraded. They required relatively inexpensive periodic calibrations, but resources for that critical activity had recently decreased sharply. Once observations were compromised, years elapsed before the integrity of the data could be regained, while continuity of the data was lost forever. While WMO did understand that using the resources of the Trust Fund for the Vienna Convention for the purpose of funding research was without precedent, he stressed that no funds were available elsewhere.
7. In response to a question from the representative of Argentina, a representative of the Ozone Secretariat said that using the Trust Fund resources for such a purpose would require a change to the terms of reference of the Fund, which in turn would require a decision by the Conference of the Parties.
8. The Meeting established a contact group, chaired by the representative of Argentina, which Parties with views on the topic and the observer from WMO were invited to join, with the twin mandates of considering an amendment to the terms of reference of the Trust Fund for the Vienna Convention and considering the proposals which had been made in relation to funding of research activities.
9. The representative of Argentina introduced a conference room paper containing a revised proposal for a decision on ozone-related monitoring and research activities for the Vienna Convention, which it was sponsoring in collaboration with a number of other Parties.
10. The representative of the Czech Republic announced his Government’s intention to contribute between $30,000 and $50,000 to support the activities on research and observations relevant to the Vienna Convention, consistent with the proposed decision.
11. The Meeting agreed to amend the draft decision accordingly to note the generous offer of the Czech Republic, and extended its thanks to that Government.
12. One representative underlined the need for the ground-based monitoring stations to be sited wherever they were needed.
13. The preparatory segment decided to forward the draft decision on ozone-related monitoring and research activities for the Vienna Convention to the high-level segment for approval.

 

IV. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND BUDGETS FOR THE TRUST FUNDS FOR THE

VIENNA CONVENTION AND THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL

14. The representative of the Czech Republic, speaking as Chair of the Budget Committee, composed of the representatives of Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Georgia, Japan, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Togo, Uganda, United Kingdom and the United States of America, reported on the deliberations of the Committee. He drew the attention of the preparatory segment to two conference room papers, containing, respectively, a draft decision on the Trust Fund for the Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer; and a draft decision on the Trust Fund of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
15. He reported that participants had held very intensive discussions on the documents "The Financial Report on the Trust Fund for the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer for the Biennium 2000-2001 and Expenditure for 2001 as Compared to the Approved Budget" (UNEP/OzL.Conv.6/4) and "Approved 2002, Revised 2003 and Proposed 2004, 2005 and 2006 Budgets for the Trust Fund for the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (UNEP/OzL.Conv.6/5).
16. The Committee had also deliberated on the documents "The Financial Report on the Trust Fund for the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer for the Biennium 2000-2001 and Expenditure for 2001 as Compared to the Approved Budget" (UNEP/OzL.Pro/14/4) and "Approved 2002 and Proposed 2003 and 2004 Budgets for the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (UNEP/OzL.Pro.14/5).
17. The members of the informal group had expressed high appreciation for the excellent management of the above-mentioned Trust Funds that had led to the savings in 2001 in both Trust Funds (Vienna Convention $155,986; Montreal Protocol $1,186,869). In that context, the Budget Committee commented very positively on the information in the chapter entitled "Development of the Trust Fund for the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer," as contained in document UNEP/OzL.Pro.14/INF/3. The actual total reserve in that Trust Fund stood at $8,623,262, including interest income of $2,381,222.
18. The Committee was aware of the necessity to keep the grand total budget at the level acceptable to all Parties. The aim was to promote the goals of "zero nominal growth", to avoid the large accumulation of the budget surplus, including of interest income, not to increase the financial burdens of the Parties and, at the same time, to create the most favourable conditions for further fulfilment of the tasks and targets by the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol in the very important period after the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The highest priority should be paid to monitoring and assisting Parties in complying with the Montreal Protocol obligations and to the more active dissemination of information. That was why the Budget Committee was recommending to the Parties to agree with the establishment of new posts – one under the Vienna Convention (Programme Officer – Communication and Information).
19. As could be seen from the draft decision the Budget Committee recommended the budget of the Trust fund for the Vienna Convention for 2003 in the amount of $449,690; for 2004 in the amount of $559,689; for 2005 in the amount of $1,233,169; and proposing for 2006 the amount of $556,299. The Committee recommended, from the year 2004, an increase in the amount drawn down from the Trust Fund balance from the current $75,000 to $100,000, and to divide the saving from the 2001 budget to the years 2003 and 2005, respectively.
20. In the draft decision for the Trust Fund for the Montreal Protocol, the Committee had taken into account the Parties’ decisions from the Twelfth and Thirteenth Meetings of the Parties, and had recommended the budget for 2003 in the amount of $3,855,220 and a proposed 2004 budget in the amount of $3,921,664. To further reduce the contribution of the Parties for 2003 and 2004, a draw down of $250,000 was recommended to be made from the interest income annually accruing to the Fund. Together with drawdowns from the reserve and from unspent balances of the years 2000 and 2001, that was a reasonable move to decrease the level of surplus in future years, following the recommendations by many Parties.
21. In spite of the fact that the level of total contributions from the Parties was decreasing, the Budget Committee appealed to Parties to pay their contributions promptly and in full.
22. The Budget Committee also discussed the same amendment to "The Terms of Reference for the Administration of Trust Funds for the Vienna Convention and for the Montreal Protocol" (UNEP/OzL.Conv.6/6, UNEP/OzL.Pro.14/7) that reflected General Assembly resolutions 55/5 B-F of 23 December 2000, changing the criteria and elements used in the United Nations scale of contributions. In that context, the amendment to paragraph 4 of "The Terms of Reference for the Administration of Trust Funds for the Vienna Convention and for the Montreal Protocol" was proposed. The amendment was included in the respective draft decisions on Trust Funds. The majority of Parties participating at the meeting of the Committee had supported that proposal. During the discussions in the Budget Committee, the representative of Brazil, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, stated that paragraph 3 of Part C of General Assembly resolution 55/5, Part C should also be considered in discussing that matter by Parties.
23. He concluded his report by thanking the representatives of those interested Parties that had taken part in the Budget Committee for their active and positive approach.
24. During the discussion of the draft decisions, the representative of Brazil wished to record a reservation concerning the reference in paragraph 12 of the draft decision on the Trust Fund of the Montreal Protocol, and paragraph 8 of the draft decision on the Trust Fund of the Vienna Convention, which in both cases referred to the decision to amend paragraph 4 of the terms of reference for the administration of the Trust Funds by substituting 25 per cent by 22 per cent in accordance with the United Nations General Assembly resolution through its decision A/RES/55/5 B-F of 23 December 2000. The reservation introduced by the delegation of Brazil was based on paragraph 3, part C of the same United Nations General Assembly resolution A/RES/55/5 B-F of 23 December 2000.
25. The representative of Argentina wished the report of the Meeting to reflect that the Government of Argentina reserved the right to request a revision of the scale of contributions to the Trust Funds of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol concerning Argentina’s contribution, in conformity with what the United Nations General Assembly might decide, with the aim of reducing the percentage assigned to Argentina for 2003 and subsequent years.
26. The representative of China, noting that China had carefully studied General Assembly resolution 55/5 of 23 December 2000, said that the resolution clearly pointed out that the scale of assessment should not automatically apply to United Nations specialized agencies or other organizations. While he appreciated the Secretariat’s management of the Trust Funds, he wished to point out that increasing the contributions according to the United Nations scale of assessments was not the only solution. For example, the contributions of those that were more able to pay could be considered. He thus wished to record a reservation on the draft decisions on the Trust Funds of the Vienna Convention and of the Montreal Protocol submitted by the Budget Committee.
27. The preparatory segment decided to forward the draft decision on the Trust Fund for the Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer; as well as the draft decision on the Trust Fund for the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, to the high-level segment for approval.

 

IV. REPORT OF THE CO-CHAIR OF THE PREPARATORY SEGMENT AND CONSIDERATION

OF THE DECISIONS RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION BY THE SIXTH MEETING OF

THE PARTIES TO THE VIENNA CONVENTION

28. The Co-Chair of the preparatory segment informed the high-level segment about the main issues covered in the deliberations of the preparatory segment and pointed to the draft decisions which had been approved for transmission to the high-level segment.
29. The Conference of the Parties adopted a number of decisions, on the basis of the draft decisions submitted by the technical segment of the combined meeting. The text of the decisions, as adopted by consensus, is contained in chapter VI below.

VI. ADOPTION OF DECISIONS

30. The sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties decides:

Decision VI/1. Ratification of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, the

1. To note with satisfaction the large number of countries that have ratified the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
2. To note that as of 28 November 2002. 164 Parties had ratified the London Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, 142 Parties had ratified the Copenhagen Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, 84 Parties had ratified the Montreal Amendment to the Montreal Protocol while only 41 Parties had ratified the Beijing Amendment to the Montreal Protocol;
3. To note further that the Beijing Amendment entered into force on 25 February 2002, on the ninetieth day following the date of deposit on which the twentieth instrument of ratification had been deposited by States or regional economic integration organizations that are Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer;
4. To urge all States that have not yet done so to ratify, approve or accede to the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments, taking into account that universal participation is necessary to ensure the protection of the ozone layer.

Decision VC VI/21:. Ozone-related monitoring and research activities for the Vienna Convention

Recalling Articles 3 and 4, and Annexes I and II of the Vienna Convention, Decisions VCI/4, VCI/5, VCII/4, VCII/7, VCII/9, VCIII/5, VCIV/3, VCIV/4, and VCV/3, and paragraph 39 of the Plan of Action of the World Summit on Sustainable Development,

Recognizing the urgent need for enhancing the effective regime for the protection of the ozone layer established in the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol,

1. To take note, with appreciation, of the report of the fifth meeting of the Ozone Research Managers, and the recommendations therein;
2. To request the United Nations Environment Programme, in consultation with World Meteorological Organization, to establish an extrabudgetary fund for receiving voluntary contribution from the Parties to the Vienna Convention and international organizations, for the purpose of financing activities on research and systematic observations relevant to the Vienna Convention, consistent with the decisions listed above, in developing countries and countries with economies in transition;
3. To urge all Parties and international organizations to make voluntary contributions to the Fund as well as voluntary contributions in kind for the purposes mentioned in paragraph 2;
4. The primary aim of the Fund should be to provide complementary support for the continued maintenance and calibration of the existing World Meteorological Organization Global Atmospheric Watch ground-based stations for monitoring column ozone, ozone profiles and ultra-violet radiation in the developing countries and in the countries with economies in transition, to address balanced global coverage. Consideration should be given to supporting other activities identified by the Ozone Research Managers and in consultation with the co-chairs of the United Nations Environment Programme Scientific Assessment and Environmental Effects Assessment Panels, for the improvement of the observation network and relevant research;
5. To request the Secretariat, in consultation with the World Meteorological Organization, to advise the Parties of the institutional arrangements for making decisions on allocation of funds, with a specific proposal to meet the requirements identified in paragraph 4 above and to provide an annual report;
6. To request the Secretariat to invite the Parties and international organizations to make annual voluntary contributions to the Fund;
7. To review the institutional arrangements for the operation of the Fund at the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna convention, taking into account the developments and requirements within other conventions, to avoid duplication of efforts;
8. To request the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme, to draw to the attention of the Parties opportunities for meeting common objectives among conventions, in particular the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Decision VI/32. Financial matters: Financial reports and budgets

1. To welcome the continuing excellent management by the Secretariat of the finances of the Vienna Convention Trust Fund and the very good quality documentation furnished to the meeting;
2. To take note with appreciation of the financial statements of the Trust Fund for the biennium 2000-2001 and the report on the actual expenditures for 2001 as compared to the approvals for that year, as contained in document UNEP/OzL.Conv.6/4;
3. To approve the budget for the Trust Fund in the amount of $449,690 for 2003, $559,689 for 2004, $1,233,169 for 2005 and take note of the proposed budget of $556,299 for 2006, as set out in Annex I of the report of the 6th Conference of the Parties;
4. To firstly draw down an amount of $100,000 in years 2004, 2005 and 2006 from the Fund balance for the purpose of reducing that balance (including the annually accruing interest income);
5. To secondly draw down further from the unspent balance from year 2001, an amount of $79,100 in 2003 and $76,886 in 2005;
6. To ensure, as a consequence of the draw-downs referred to in paragraphs 4 and 5 above, that the contributions to be paid by the Parties amount to $295,590 for 2003, $459,689 for 2004, $1,056,283 for 2005 and $456,299 for 2006 as set out in Annex I of the report of the 6th Conference of the Parties. The contributions of the individual Parties shall be as listed in Annex II to the present report;
7. To urge all Parties to pay their outstanding contributions as well as their future contributions promptly and in full;
8. To amend paragraph 4 of the terms of reference for the administration of the Trust Fund for the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer by substituting 25 per cent by 22 per cent in accordance with the United Nations General Assembly resolution through its decision A/RES/55/5 B-F of 23 December 2000; and
9. To request the Executive Director to extend the Vienna Convention Trust Fund until 31 December 2010.

To convene the seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention in 2005 in conjunction with the Seventeenth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol.

Annex I

TRUST FUND FOR THE VIENNA CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE OZONE LAYER:

APPROVED 2002, REVISED 2003 AND PROPOSED 2004, 2005 and 2006 BUDGETS

EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE REVISED 2003, AND PROPOSED 2004, 2005 AND 2006 BUDGETS FOR THE TRUST FUND FOR THE VIENNA CONVENTION

Annex II

Trust Fund for the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer

Scale of Contributions by the Parties for the year 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 based on the United Nations scale of assessment

(General Assembly Resolution A/RES/55/5 B-F of 23 December 2000 - with no Party paying more than 22 per cent)

(in United States dollars)