46th Meeting of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee decided:

(a) To note with appreciation the information provided in document UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/46/7 on evaluation of methyl bromide projects;

(b) To urge:

(i) Bilateral and/or implementing agencies and National Ozone Units (NOUs), as required by the revised strategy and guidelines for projects in the methyl bromide sector, to involve more fully all key stakeholders such as relevant government agencies, farmers and farmers’ associations, fumigation companies using methyl bromide, methyl bromide importers, suppliers of alternative technologies, research institutions/universities, public and private extension services and non governmental organizations in project preparation and implementation and, where appropriate, to encourage the use of steering committees to coordinate project implementation;

(ii) Bilateral and/or implementing agencies and NOUs to analyse in greater detail the long-term sustainability and economical viability of alternatives to methyl bromide during project preparation and implementation, taking into full consideration the equipment needed, its maintenance and servicing, and the operational costs, and to share the results of the analysis among major stakeholders associated with the project;

(iii) Bilateral and/or implementing agencies to assist the relevant government authorities, where possible and appropriate, to develop policy measures from the onset of project implementation, directed to eliminating methyl bromide use and to sustaining the alternative technologies on a permanent basis, and to provide specific information in that respect in regular progress reports;

(iv) Bilateral and/or implementing agencies and NOUs to implement the integrated pest management component of the project during the entire project cycle through interdisciplinary technical teams (which could include research and extension staff specializing in plant pathology, weed control, crop production and application of pesticides) with a view to reducing methyl bromide use and emissions, where technically and economically feasible, during the transitional period until total phase-out, as well as to enhance the overall effectiveness and sustainability of implementing the alternative technology;

(v) Bilateral and implementing agencies to continue submitting, for consideration by the Executive Committee, annual progress reports on the implementation of methyl bromide phase-out projects as mandated in the relevant agreements between the governments concerned and the Executive Committee, providing in all such reports information on results achieved so far, problems overcome and lessons learned and, where applicable, a plan of action for the subsequent tranche of a multi year phase-out project;

(c) To request UNEP and UNIDO to continue updating and maintaining the joint website on methyl bromide alternatives based on the experience gained in implementation of methyl bromide phase-out projects and, for this purpose, to request bilateral and/or the other implementing agencies to add to the website, through links or directly, their experiences in the implementation of their methyl bromide projects, including information on logistical, regulatory and technical barriers; and

(d) To request relevant bilateral and/or implementing agencies to explore the feasibility of regional agreements between Article 5 countries facing similar issues regarding the phase-out of methyl bromide, for example for countries producing melons in Central America, or cut flowers and/or tobacco crops in some African countries, in order to facilitate the phase-out of methyl bromide, standardize regulations and minimize the risk of illegal trade. 

(Decision 46/5)

 

The Executive Committee decided:

(a) To note with appreciation the desk study on non-compliance with the freeze in consumption of CFCs, halons, methyl bromide and methyl chloroform contained in documents UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/46/8 and Corr.1;

(b) To request the Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer to include countries in non-compliance in the sample of field visits planned for evaluations of refrigerant management plans in non-low-volume-consuming countries and of national and sectoral phase out plans; and

(c) To request the Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer to include a full analysis and follow-up study on cases of non-compliance, including field visits, in the monitoring and evaluation work programme for 2006.

(Decision 46/6)

 

 

The Executive Committee decided:

(a) To approve the guidelines for the verification of national consumption targets for the multi-year agreements contained in Annex XIII to the present report;
(b) To request the bilateral and implementing agencies to apply the guidelines to the verification of national consumption targets of the multi-year agreements, starting with the verification of consumption for the year 2005; and
(c) To request the Secretariat, in cooperation with the bilateral and implementing agencies, to review the implementation of the guidelines at the end of 2007.

The Executive Committee decided:

(a) To replace the existing format for reporting on country programmes by the revised format contained in Annex XIV to the present report;
(b) To request the National Ozone Units, starting in 2006, to report on the implementation of country programmes using the revised format;
(c) To request the Secretariat to incorporate the data collected into the annual analysis forecasting the compliance potential of Article 5 countries; and
(d) To review the implementation of the revised format at the last Meeting of the Executive Committee in 2007.