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Mr President
It is a pleasure to be here today and to join with other speakers in thanking the Government of Thailand for its support in hosting this 22nd Meeting of the Parties at short notice. May we also take this opportunity to thank the Ozone Secretariat and other UN staff for their hard work and unfailing courtesy, including as we have tried to maintain our dedication to a paperless meeting environment.
As work intensifies on the basket of climate-related issues, the Montreal Protocol has much to offer as a successful model. Other processes will try to emulate it. Some will succeed. Others will struggle. Finding the right models for delivering concrete outcomes for the environment is the key to the critical work being done in many forums at this time.
In little more than 20 years, the Montreal Protocol has achieved remarkable results in phasing out the use of ozone depleting substances, and in reversing their effects on the ozone layer.
The Protocol demonstrates just how effectively shared understanding using sound science, vision and commitment can be used to address individual issues. As a universally ratified treaty, the Protocol can act as a member and guide to all Parties on the important lessons learned in this process which can apply elsewhere.
The impact of ozone-depleting substances on the environment, and the associated impacts on human health, primary industries and economic development is profound.
New Zealand is particularly exposed to the southern ozone hole and has a very strong interest in the restoration of the ozone layer and the environmental and health benefits this will bring with it.
New Zealand, by virtue of its proximity to this Hole, its relative geographical isolation and the close dependence of both its services and good sectors on a sustainable environment, is starkly aware of the realities of Ozone depletion.
New Zealand is thankful that the activities of the Montreal Protocol are beginning to have a positive effect on arresting the depletion of the ozone layer. Hopefully the slight reductions recently observed in the southern ozone hole are just the beginning of positive progress.
New Zealand has therefore sought to implement as effective a regulatory environment as possible, taking a number of practical measures to address key issues. These include the accelerated phase down of HCFCs.
From 1 January this year, the total amount of HCFCs able to be imported was reduced to 20% of the original allocation, as opposed to the 25% permitted under the Montreal Protocol.
New Zealand’s chemicals regulator last week announced that the use of methyl bromide for QPS purposes can continue. In making this decision, increased controls have been put in place, mainly to protect human health concerns but which will also have benefits for the ozone layer. Recapture is one of these increased controls and the decision looks to require all QPS uses of methyl bromide to be subject to recapture over the next 10 years. By managing the emissions for these uses in the near term we are looking to achieve the designed biosecurity outcomes while also maintaining economic benefits from trade.
We urge the Parties, committees, assessment panels and their experts to keep the eye on the ball and make those decisions that will make the big gains. In taking these decisions, it will be important to ensure that the future actions under the Protocol are effective, achievable and proportional to the risk they pose.
New Zealand looks forward to continuing to work in the fine collegial tradition of the Montreal Protocol in taking this work forward and consolidating its notable achievements.
We thank all parties for their efforts in reducing these adverse effects on the ozone layer. New Zealand is committed to the further phase of this work that will make lasting improvements to the quality of our environment.
Thank you, Mr President
