Following a discussion, the Executive Committee decided:
A. Already approved refrigerant management plans (RMPs) for low-volume-consuming countries (LVCs)
- To request national ozone officers, with the assistance of the implementing agency concerned, to review and assess the content, implementation to date and expected outcomes of their RMPs against their objective to phase out all consumption in the refrigeration sector according to the Montreal Protocol timetable. In undertaking this review, national ozone officers should:
- Calculate current and forecast future consumption in relation to the freeze, 50% cut in 2005, 85% cut in 2007 and phase-out in 2010 and calculate the size of consumption cuts in the refrigeration sector required to meet these targets;
- Include forecast cuts in consumption attributable to the activities already approved under the RMP, including training activities and recovery/recycling;
- Ensure that the current and expected future consumption of all subsectors, including the informal sector, small and medium-sized enterprises and mobile air conditioners, are included in the review;
- For each activity identified, consider the cost and means of funding, including national financing;
- Ensure that the RMP and government strategy for delivering phase-out includes adequate provision for monitoring and reporting on progress;
- That LVCs (or groups of LVCs) with already approved RMPs may submit to the Executive Committee requests for funding additional activities necessary to reduce consumption and thereby ensure compliance with the Protocol. Such additional activities should be essential parts of their comprehensive strategy for phase-out in the refrigeration sector. Additional funding shall not exceed 50% of the funds approved for the original RMP or, where relevant, RMP components. With the possible exception of the post-2007 period noted in subparagraph (d) below, no further funding beyond this level, including funding related to retrofits, would be considered for activities in this sector;
- That requests for additional funding consistent with subparagraph (b) above should be accompanied by:
- A justification for the additional activities to be funded in the context of the country’s national phase-out strategy;
- A clear explanation of how this funding, together with the initial RMP funding and steps to be taken by the government, will ensure compliance with the Protocol’s reduction steps and phase-out;
- A commitment to achieve, without further requests for funding for the RMP, at least the 50% reduction step in 2005 and the 85% reduction step in 2007. This shall include a commitment by the country to restrict imports if necessary to achieve compliance with the reduction steps and to support RMP activities;
- A commitment to annual reporting of progress in implementing the RMP and meeting the reduction steps;
(d) That it will review in 2005 whether further assistance is needed for the post-2007 period, and what assistance the Fund might consider at that time to enable full compliance with the Protocol’s phase-out requirements;
B. Preparation and approval of new RMPs for LVCs
(e) That the project preparation phase for RMPs should, as intended by the existing guidelines, include a full survey of CFC consumption in all subsectors, the development of a comprehensive government phase-out strategy and a commitment by the government to enact regulations and legislation required for the effective implementation of activities to phase out the use of CFC refrigerants. To enable these preparatory activities, including the development of legislation and regulations, to be completed in full, the funding provided for the project preparation phase should be double the level traditionally provided;
- That the provisions relating to existing RMPs in section A, subparagraphs (a), (c) and (d) above shall also apply to new RMPs submitted pursuant to this decision;
- That in lieu of the ability given to already approved RMPs to request additional funds, the total level of funding for the implementation of new RMPs could be increased by up to 50% compared to the level of RMP funding typically approved to date, with flexibility for the country in selecting and implementing the RMP components which it deems most relevant in order to meet its phase-out commitments. With the exception of the post-2007 phase noted in section A, subparagraph (d) above, no further funding beyond this level, including funding for retrofits, would be considered for activities in this sector;
- That the following text should be added to the RMP guidelines (decision 23/15) after the last bullet in section 3.1:
“The elements and activities proposed for an RMP, whether they are to be funded by the Multilateral Fund or the country itself, should reflect the country’s particular circumstances and address all relevant sectors including the informal sector. They should be sufficient to ensure fulfilment of the countries’ control obligations at least up to and including the 85% reduction in 2007, and should include mechanisms for reporting progress.”
C. RMPs for higher-volume-consuming countries
- That, taking into account the need for large consuming countries to initiate planning for dealing with this large and complex sector, as well as the related decision of the meeting of the Parties, it will consider requests for funding the development of long-term strategies for the refrigeration sector for high-volume-consuming countries. High-volume-consuming countries that have not yet undertaken country programme updates should undertake this strategic RMP development in the context of such updates, consistent with any Executive Committee guidance on country programme updates;
- That future Executive Committee decisions on funding the implementation of the elements of such RMP strategies should take into account the relative priority in national government planning of CFC reductions in the refrigeration sector and the availability of other reduction opportunities in meeting the country’s control obligations;
(k) That, in that context, the Executive Committee may consider whether certain activities often considered to be part of an RMP (such as training of customs officers) could be initiated before an RMP was developed.