Tag: oewg

Following revelations of unexpected CFC-11 emissions in 2018 and reports of record atmospheric HFC-23 concentrations and other unexpected emissions, legitimate questions have been raised as to whether the Montreal Protocol’s institutions and controls are fit for purpose, not only to sustain the phase-out of ozone depleting substances (ODS) but also to address the unique challenges of the hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) phase-down.

EIA Briefing to the 47th Meeting the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, 7-11 July 2025. As the climate crisis intensifies and threats to the ozone layer continue to mount, there are multiple urgent issues before Parties at the 47th Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG47) of the Montreal Protocol.

The 5th session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-5) adjourned without a final text, and is set to resume in August 2025 (INC-5.2) with the hopes of landing a final deal.

For the fifth (and potentially final) round of the global plastics treaty negotiations (INC-5), expectations are high, in particular in consummating an agreement on an instrument capable of ending plastic pollution and reducing harm across the entire plastics lifecycle.

The legacy of the Montreal Protocol is one of delivering above and beyond its initial remit. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has described the Montreal Protocol as a “powerful symbol of hope”, calling on Parties to now go further. At MoP36, EIA calls on all Parties to embody the spirit of the Montreal Protocol once again and to demonstrate it truly is the world’s most successful environmental treaty.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is the most significant ozone-depleting substance (ODS) in the world today and is projected to remain so throughout the 21st century. It is also the third most important greenhouse gas (GHG), being 273 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) on a tonne-for-tonne basis over a 100-year period.