Until about a decade ago, the lack of knowledge about atmospheric chemistry and processes led to a significant depletion of stratospheric ozone levels. Man-made chemicals, especially chlorine and bromine compounds, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, and a broad range of industrial chemicals attack the ozone layer and are recognized as ozone depleting substances (ODS). Moreover, by enhancing the process of climate change they disturb food chains and so have an effect on agriculture, fisheries and biological diversity. Without the Montreal Protocol the levels of ozone-depleting substances would have been five times higher than they are today, and surface ultraviolet-B radiation levels would have doubled at mid-latitudes in the northern hemisphere. On current estimates the CFC concentration in the ozone layer is expected to decline to pre-1980 levels by 2050.

While primarily concerned with the issue of eliminating ozone depleting substances (ODS), the activities carried out by UNIDO under this service module also enable the industries concerned to achieve increased productivity and an improved economic performance in terms of lower operating costs, less maintenance and higher product quality and reliability. These activities also make a major contribution to generating employment, both by sustaining existing jobs and creating new ones.

Two MDGs are thus of particular relevance to this service module, namely MDG 7, "to ensure environmental sustainability", and MDG 1, "to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger":

With regard to the former, UNIDO's efforts in the ten years that the Organization has been an implementing agency of the Montreal Protocol Multilateral Fund (MLF) have resulted in the cumulative elimination of 22,000 ozone-depleting potential (ODP) tonnes of annual ODS consumption from various industrial sectors of the developing countries listed in Article 5 of the Protocol.

With regard to the latter, UNIDO has assisted approximately 1,250 industrial firms employing some 145,000 workers through its technical cooperation activities carried out in the context of the Montreal Protocol. In addition, generating and sustaining employment also occurs in non-manufacturing sectors. In the framework of its refrigerant management plans, for example, UNIDO trains workers to service and maintain refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, while in its projects dealing with the phasing out of methyl bromide in fumigation the Organization has so far trained more than 150,000 farmers in the use of non-chemical and chemical alternatives and given them an opportunity to become more competitive in the international marketplace through the adoption of these new technologies. This development has been particularly visible in the tobacco, cut flower and horticulture sectors, where hundreds of thousands of farmers have acquired modern techniques and been able to meet the higher quality standards required by the international market.

This dual impact of the activities implemented under this service module is exemplified by a project to convert a freezer production plant in China to environmentally friendly technologies. This project resulted in the phasing out of 708 tons of CFCs and at the same time led to an increase in annual production of freezers from 650,000 in 1995 to more than 1 million units in 2001 without the installation of new production capacities. The company increased its exports to developing countries from a few thousand to 170,000 units during the same period. Under an agreement with a US firm, 500,000 freezers were exported in 2002.

While by the end of 2000 almost all countries had successfully achieved the freeze of their CFC consumption at the average level of 1995-1997, they now have to focus their efforts to reduce the consumption and production of CFCs by 50 per cent from their freeze level by January 2005. In the case of carbon tetrachloride (CTC) the target reduction is 85 percent and in methyl bromide 20 percent. The next reduction target date for consumption and production of CFCs by 85 per cent is January 2007, and by 2010 no more CFC, CTC and halons should be produced or consumed by Article 5 countries.

Montreal Protocol (text)