(The following information provided by the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy.)
For Immediate Release For Information Contact:
September 21, 2007 Kevin Fay (703) 801-3233, or
John Mandyck (860) 674-3006
Alliance Commends UNEP Montreal Protocol Agreement
Montreal, Canada -- The Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy (Alliance), an industry coalition, commended the agreement reached today by the parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. “The agreement maintains the high standards set for this important environmental treaty,” said John Mandyck, Alliance Chairman and Vice President for Government and International Relations for Carrier Corporation. “Today’s agreement matches its past success at establishing tough environmental protection goals while balancing the economic means of achieving these goals,” he said.
The Montreal Protocol celebrated its 20th anniversary this week at the 19th Meeting of the Parties, held in Montreal, Canada. The agreement announced today was to reduce remaining consumption of hydrochlorofluorocarbon compounds (HCFCs), important transition substances, by more than 20% in developed countries between the years 2010 and 2030. Furthermore, the parties for the first time agreed to a consumption baseline and phasedown schedule for HCFC consumption for developing countries that will reduce consumption of these compounds by approximately 50% over the years 2010 through 2040. The significant reduction agreement was achieved through the leadership of the United States and many other countries.
“The HCFC reductions will hasten the recovery of the earth’s ozone layer and allow for the more rapid introduction of important technologies relying on non-ozone-depleting substances,” said Mandyck. “The benefits are important from the perspective of protecting both the ozone layer as well as the climate.” According to analysis by the Alliance, the greenhouse gas reductions could be equivalent to approximately 20% of the benefits projected to be achieved by the Kyoto Protocol, the world’s first international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions between 2008 and 2012.
The Montreal Protocol has been hailed as one of the most successful multilateral environmental agreements ever negotiated. First signed in 1987, the treaty has resulted in the rapid reduction of ozone-depleting substances relying on an integrated system of scientific, technical and economic assessment processes and implementation by developed and developing countries, with the help of important multilateral funding assistance for the developing countries. The treaty has shaved decades off the projected recovery date of the earth’s ozone layer by reducing the concentration of ozone-depleting compounds in the atmosphere, thereby reducing exposure risks from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. The treaty had already been projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions more than five times the impact of the Kyoto accord.
Mandyck also thanked the Government of Canada for its important contributions to maintaining momentum on this unprecedented environmental agreement and for hosting the 20th anniversary meeting. “Montreal and the Canadian contribution to the protection of the ozone layer has been steadfast and significant,” he said.
The Alliance is a coalition of producers and users of fluorocarbon based technologies, including air-conditioning, refrigeration, foam insulation, solvents and aerosols. The Alliance has been recognized by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the United Nations Environment Programme for its global leadership in the ozone protection effort.
RemTec International, 6150 Merger Drive, Holland, OH 43528 USA
419-867-8990, 419-867-3279 fax, 00-800-850-11622 International no. France, Italy, UK, Germany
www.remtec.net |
