What is the Montreal Protocol?
This convention aims to ensure that national governments have regulations in place that regulate the import of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and that these substances are licensed.
Vanuatu has been party to the Montreal Protocol on Ozone Compliance since 1994.
OzDS are the gases produced by human activity such as methane and hydrochlorofluorocarbons that damage the ozone layer.
The ozone layer is the part of the upper atmosphere around our planet that protects us from the harmful rays of the sun. The Government wishes to announce that it will be soon ratifying this Protocol.
What has been achieved since Vanuatu signed the Convention?
Since the 1994 signing of the Montreal Protocol, the Government has made the following achievements:
- Collected and submitted the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Protocol Article 7 data to the Ozone Secretariat.
- Prepared and submitted 2007 and 2008 Country Progress Report to the Fund Secretariat.
- Prepared all required reports to renew of the institutional strengthening (IS) project and received funding approval of US$32,000 for 2010.
- Initiated the process for the development of the ozone regulation including a ODS import/export licensing system for Vanuatu, and co-ordinated the completion of the draft for further progress.
- Organised one stakeholder workshop to raise awareness of ozone layer protection issues.
- Initiated the recruitment a full time ozone officer within the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC).
- Participated in the discussion of regional Hydrochlorofluorocarbons Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) preparation, and participated the Fiji HPMP preparation inception workshop.
How is Vanuatu Currency Non-Compliant to the Convention?
Vanuatu is currently non-compliant to the Montreal Protocol. In order to fulfill Vanuatu's obligations under the Protocol, Vanuatu will need to set up a National Ozone Unit within the DEC.
Some of the challenges faced by Vanuatu include:
- Vanuatu is non-compliant with its 2007 and 2008 chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) consumption control measures under the Montreal Protocol as per Decision XXI/26. A plan of action to return to compliance is being prepared and will be submitted to the Ozone Secretariat in March 2010.
- A full time ozone officer is being recruited and his/her capacity needs to be strengthened.
- The licensing system for the control of ODS import and export as required by the Montreal Protocol needs to put in place soon.
- Vanuatu has not yet ratified the Montreal and Beijing Amendments to the Protocol.
- A Customs training workshop to help to control the ODS import under the regional strategy has not yet been organised.