November 11, 2006

India hosts golden jubilee meeting of the Multilateral Fund

In opening the 50th Meeting of the Executive Committee in Delhi this week, Mr. Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State for the Environment and Forests of India praised the effectiveness of the Multilateral Fund as one of the major reasons for the success of the Montreal Protocol.  

Despite the fact that India has one of the most successful programmes to phase-out production and consumption of ozone depleting substances (ODS),  along with a number of other developing countries, India is facing challenges in the introduction of alternatives to the manufacture of CFC metered-dose inhalers (MDI’s).  In consideration of these challenges the Executive Committee approved funding for activities related to the phase-out of CFC in the MDI sector for a number of developing countries.  

At the 50^th Meeting, the Executive Committee approved a total of US$ 48 million of funding for projects and activities in 77 developing countries, including India,  that will lead to the elimination of 3,371 tonnes of  ODS consumption.

The Executive Committee also considered the challenges that still face the success of the Montreal Protocol. These included the phase of out HCFCs which have been rapidly expanding in developing countries in recent years and the need for the environmentally sound destruction of ODS which would be unrecoverable and unusable.

Background information 

The ozone layer which absorbs ultraviolet radiation harmful to living organisms and human health, is in danger from several chemicals currently used in industry and agriculture such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform and methyl bromide.

The Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol began its operation in 1991. The main objective of the Multilateral Fund is to assist developing country parties to the Montreal Protocol whose annual per capita consumption and production of ozone-depleting substances is less than 0.3 kg to comply with the control measures of the Protocol. These countries are referred to as Article 5 countries.

The Fund is managed by an Executive Committee chaired in 2006 by Mr. Khaled Klaly of Syria. The Committee is assisted by the Fund Secretariat which is based in Montreal.  Activities are implemented by four international agencies (UNDP, UNEP, UNIDO, World Bank) and a number of bilateral implementing agencies of donor countries.  Responsibility for overseeing the operation of the Fund rests with the Executive Committee comprising seven members each from Article 5 countries (Brazil, Burundi, Guinea, India, Mexico, the Syrian Arab Republic and Zambia) and non-Article 5 countries (Australia, Belgium Czech Republic, Italy, Japan, Sweden and the USA).  Since 1991, the Multilateral Fund has approved activities including industrial conversion, technical assistance, training and capacity building worth over US $2 billion.

For further information, please contact: 

Julia Anne Dearing
Information Management Officer
Secretariat of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol
1800 McGill College, 27th floor
Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 3J6
Phone: +1-514 282-1122
Fax: +1 514 282-0068
Email:  secretariat@unmfs.org
Website:  www.multilateralfund.org 

The 50th Meeting of the Executive Committee was attended by representatives of the following countries that are members of the Executive Committee:  Brazil, Burundi, Guinea, India, Mexico, the Syrian Arab Republic and Zambia (developing countries) and Australia, Belgium Czech Republic, Italy, Japan, Sweden and the USA (developed countries).