16 September 2009
Media statement
Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism
WEDNESDAY, 16 SEPTEMBER 2009: 16 September
2009 marks an exceptional milestone for
the Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting
Substances. Today Timor-Leste has completed
the official ratification of the ozone protection
treaties, making the Vienna Convention
for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and
the Montreal Protocol on substances that
deplete the Ozone Layer the first treaty
to ever achieve universal participation.
The ratification of
the Ozone treaty by the youngest democracy
in the world brings together the whole international
community to protect the ozone layer. Until
today, Timor-Leste was the only remaining
state outside of the ozone protection regime.
As such, the Vienna Convention and the Montreal
Protocol, the instruments for repairing
the earth’s protective shield have achieved
UNIVERSAL SUPPORT.
South Africa welcomes
Timor-Leste as the 196th party to the global
ozone-layer protection family and congratulates
them for joining hands with the international
community to preserve the ozone layer.
The success of the Montreal
Protocol is without equal. The Protocol
has driven the phase-out of the use of over
97% of controlled ozone-depleting substances.
In this regard, it is encouraging to note
that the end of 2009 will mark another significant
milestone in the history of the implementation
of the Montreal Protocol – the use of CFCs,
among other potent ozone-depleting substances,
whose production and use will be ceased
completely except for less that 1 % of the
cases where essential uses are allowed for
medical reasons.
Following the 2007 decision
to accelerate the phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons
(HCFCs), the Department of Environmental
Affairs (DEA) has initiated a process to
inform phase-out strategies and action plans.
Working groups have been established to
address the use of HCFCs in refrigeration,
foam and fire protection. The first draft
of a HCFC management plan is expected to
be completed by March 2010.
Furthermore, regulations
on ozone depleting substances are currently
being developed to provide transparency
and certainty to industry, and to ensure
that South Africa remains in compliance
with the Montreal Protocol.
With respect to the
phase-out of methyl bromide, DEA is working
closely with the Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries. Working groups have
also been established with a view of updating
the work undertaken on methyl bromide use
in the country in 2003, and the development
of a phase-out and management plan.
Recalling that a key
motivation for acceleration of the phase-out
of HCFCs was the co-benefits for climate
change, South Africa welcomes the ongoing
endeavours of the Montreal Protocol to support
the efforts underway to adequately address
climate change. South Africa calls for similar
commitment and spirit of cooperation which
has underpinned the success of the Montreal
Protocol to serve as inspiration for the
international community in addressing other
issues of concern to us all.
As we celebrate this
year’s International Ozone Day let us re-commit
ourselves, along with Timor- Leste, to complete
the task the original signatories set themselves
in 1987, to completely phase out all ozone-depleting
substances and protect the ozone layer.
For media queries contact:
Roopa Singh (Director: External Communications)
