Japan: Major Economies Promote Montreal Protocol, Fast Action on Climate

Thailand: Montreal Parties Heed Call, Make Further Climate Progress

BANGKOK, Thailand, July 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This week, leaders of
the world's 17 major economies pledged to "continue to promote actions under
the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer for the
benefit of the global climate system." The leaders recognized the "need for
urgent action" and committed to act "without delay" to strengthen the Montreal
Protocol for the benefit of the climate system.

The leaders' pledge provided a powerful boost to the Montreal Protocol
Parties' meeting this week in Bangkok. Argentina, the Federated States of
Micronesia, and Mauritius have proposed strengthening the Protocol to address
the 7.4 billion tons of CO2-eq. that will be emitted by 2015 from discarded
products and equipment if not properly recovered and destroyed. Destruction
of these substances -- including CFCs and HCFCs in developed countries, as
well as additional CFCs in developing countries -- would also significantly
benefit the ozone layer, saving lives and reducing cancers and cataracts.

The major economies include Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European
Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea,
Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. Collectively,
they are responsible for 80% of global climate emissions. The leaders met at
the Major Economies Meeting in Toyako, Hokkaido, Japan 9 July following the
conclusion of the Group of 8 meeting this week.
Last year the G8 committed to "accelerating the phase-out of HCFCs in a way
that supports energy efficiency and climate change objectives" under the
Montreal Protocol. The Montreal Protocol Parties followed through on the G8
commitment, reaching consensus at the 20th anniversary meeting in September
2007 to speed the phase-out of HCFCs, providing up to 16 billion tons or more
of CO2-eq. in climate mitigation by 2040, significantly more than the Kyoto
Protocol seeks during its first commitment period.
Final negotiations on the Montreal Protocol banks proposals for this year will
take place 16-20 November 2008, in Doha, Qatar. Informal discussions also
were launched in Bangkok this week on the value of moving HFCs from the Kyoto
Protocol to the Montreal Protocol, where they could be effectively phased-out
in favor of more environmentally friendly substitutes.

Durwood Zaelke, President of IGSD, stated that "The world's leaders recognize
the need for urgent action on climate change, and understand that the Montreal
Protocol can deliver immediate climate benefits as it has been doing for the
past 20 years." Antonio Oposa, negotiator from Micronesia, noted that "when
early voluntary actions and national laws are included, the effort to
eliminate ozone depleting substances has delayed climate change 35 to 41
years." "The Montreal Protocol has been the world's life-preserver," stated
Sateeaved Seebaluck, chief negotiator for Mauritius, "keeping us from passing
tipping points for abrupt and irreversible climate changes, including
catastrophic sea-level rise--tipping points that may be as close as 10 years
away."

Contact: Ms. Alex Viets, Communications Officer, IGSD
aviets@igsd.org; http://igsd.org

SOURCE Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development

Ms. Alex Viets, Communications Officer, IGSD, +1-213-321-0911,
aviets@igsd.org