Backing the Montreal Protocol: Role of the Multilateral Fund

UNEP Executive Director's speech at the 91st Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol, Montreal Canada, 5-9 December 2022

Mr. Hassan Ali Mubarak, Chair of the Executive Committee,

Mr. John Thompson, Vice-Chair, distinguished members of the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund,

Colleagues from implementing agencies and other organizations,

Colleagues from the Fund Secretariat,

Guests and friends,

It is my pleasure to be with you today, my first time at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund. This fund is a unique and successful financial mechanism, established for the specific purpose of assisting countries to comply with the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. I am delighted to be here, for many reasons.

First, to congratulate in person the Executive Committee and the Multilateral Fund Secretariat for their dedication to ensuring that developing countries keep receiving assistance, despite the pandemic. I tip my hat to you all.

Second, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) plays a very important role in the work of the Montreal Protocol. UNEP wears four different and equally important “hats”: as the Ozone Secretariat, as the Multilateral Fund Secretariat, as Treasurer of the Fund, and as an implementing agency. It goes without saying that UNEP is fully committed to and proud of the work of the Montreal Protocol.

Third, because the work of the Montreal Protocol, and by extension the work of the fund that keeps it ticking, is crucial to ending the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss and pollution and waste.

This meeting is, in fact, sandwiched between summits of the climate and biodiversity conventions – two processes to which the Montreal Protocol has made great contributions.

Independent scientific research has shown that the Montreal Protocol has protected human and ecosystem health by healing the ozone layer – at a time when biodiversity is in steep decline and needs all the help, it can get. Research shows that the Montreal Protocol has kept the climate cooler by near eliminating ozone-depleting substances that were also greenhouse gases – at a time when UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report shows that other efforts to slow climate change are failing and leaving us on course for warming far above 2°C.

So, thank you for the great work you have done. I spend a lot of time asking people to walk the talk on the triple planetary crisis. To start turning commitments into action. You have done this, setting the example for others to follow.

Now you have the chance to make an even greater difference and set an even stronger example by backing the Montreal Protocol to move to the next level. There are many items on the agenda of this meeting that will help to deliver this support, but I will focus on three messages that I feel are the most important.

First, funding the implementation of the Kigali Amendment

The Kigali Amendment can provide a huge boost to efforts to keep the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement alive – when this target is on life support, alarms beeping urgently and medical staff reaching for the paddles.

As you know better than I, phasing down hydrofluorocarbons can avoid up to 0.4°C of global warming this century. Given that every fraction of a degree counts for vulnerable communities and nations facing the impacts of climate change, this potential saving is hugely significant. It can save lives.

However, the amendment was passed in 2016 and we are still discussing funding modalities. It’s time to pass from the initial splash of passing the amendment to implementation. The amendment can change people’s lives and address the climate challenge, but only if we get moving and assist developing countries to implement the Amendment and address any challenges they may face.

Second, tackling energy efficiency

Becoming more energy efficient isn’t just essential for the cooling industry. It’s essential for every industry and sector as we decarbonize the global economy – which we must do. It’s essential to address energy poverty and increase food security in developing nations by boosting cold chains in a low-carbon manner. It’s essential because even when we go fully renewable, we will still need to manage loads and save consumers money. Energy efficiency efforts must go hand with the shift to clean energy – both as a short-term measure to slow climate change and a long-term measure to back sustainable development.

Dealing with energy efficiency is already baked into the Kigali Amendment. The commitment has been made. The task in front of you is to figure out how best to implement measures that do not duplicate work by other funders and agencies. I have no desire to be prescriptive on how you do this – as you have already shown that the fund is a roaring success. I simply encourage you to solve this conundrum.

Three, take the lessons from the fund to other agreements

The multilateral fund has a long history of success. It works, and it works well. Passing on the knowledge and experience gained through the fund would be a big help to other multilateral agreements.

One of the ways that assistance is provided is through institutional strengthening projects – a unique way to increase the capabilities of those who deal with the protection of the ozone layer and climate change mitigation. This is a very interesting area that many Multilateral Environmental Agreements have been looking at to boost their own work.

I am also thinking specifically of lessons that can be passed on to the deal on plastic pollution under negotiation – which has just seen the conclusion of the first session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee. We have until 2024 to get this agreement signed and sealed. To deliver it, we will need a strong funding mechanism – such as the one you have run so well.

So, friends, over to you. The Montreal Protocol has achieved so much down the years. It can achieve much more. But its success ultimately depends on you, the members of the Executive Committee, who decide how and where the money goes. You have done an outstanding job down the years. I am sure that you will continue to do an outstanding job. Frankly, we need you to because our planet, and therefore humanity, is in deep, deep trouble.

Thank you.

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