61st Meeting of the Executive Committee
Introduction
The 61st Meeting of the Executive Committee, which took place in Montreal, Canada from 5 to 9 July 2010, was attended by the representatives of 13 of the Executive Committee member Parties and by participants co-opted from 20 other countries (see attached list). Mr. Javier Camargo of Colombia presided over the meeting as Chair of the Executive Committee in 2010. The Deputy Executive Secretary of the Ozone Secretariat, the President of the Bureau, representatives of the implementing agencies, the Treasurer, the President of the Implementation Committee, and representatives from the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy and the Environmental Investigation Agency also attended the meeting.
Pursuant to decision 60/5 the 61st Meeting considered the business plans of the agencies for 2010 2014 that had been revised to ensure consistency with decisions and guidelines of the Executive Committee, as well as with the expected level of resources of the Multilateral Fund for that period. The Committee also dealt with its customary programme of work for the second meeting of the year comprising consideration of the 2009 progress reports of the bilateral and implementing agencies, the accounts of the Multilateral Fund, and the evaluation of the 2009 business plans.
The Committee approved investment projects and work programme activities with a value of just under US $21.4 million, plus US $1.6 million in support costs for bilateral/implementing agencies, and took a total of 53 decisions including the approval of the first tranches of HCFC phase-out management plans (HPMPs) for Cambodia, Croatia and Ghana. The most significant decisions and discussions are summarized below.
Outstanding contributions of the Russian Federation
During the Thirtieth Meeting of the Open ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol which took place in June 2010, the official representative of the Russian Federation had advised the Fund Secretariat that the issue of outstanding contributions was being considered with a view to a meeting of the stakeholders concerned in the margins of the Twenty-second Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the Montreal Protocol in November 2010. The Secretariat would continue to pursue the matter with the Russian Federation and would advise the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee, the Treasurer and the Ozone Secretariat of the timing and arrangements for the intended meeting. Several Members expressed support for the continued engagement with the Russian Federation and urged the Secretariat to report back to the Committee on any future developments. It was also proposed that the Chair report to the Twenty-second MOP on the issue.
Status of contributions and disbursements, balance and availability of resources (decision 61/1)
The balance of the Fund stood at US $150,725,352, of which US $100,329,853 were in cash and US $50,395,499 in promissory notes. The Executive Committee urged all Parties to pay their contributions to the Multilateral Fund in full and as early as possible.
Status of resources and planning
Report on balances and availability of resources (decision 61/2)
Taking into account the return of balances from completed and cancelled projects, the total funds available at the 61st Meeting were US $151,102,991. Bilateral and implementing agencies returned US $404,751 to the Multilateral Fund.
Annual tranche submission delays (decision 61/3)
The Executive Committee considered a report on annual tranche submission delays under multi-year agreements (MYAs) noting that 18 of the 32 annual tranches had been submitted on time. The Executive Committee requested Article 5 countries with tranches of phase-out plans not yet submitted to take actions to integrate them into their respective HPMPs pursuant to decision 60/11(b).
Status of implementation of delayed projects and prospects of Article 5 countries in achieving compliance with the next control measures of the Montreal Protocol (decision 61/4)
The Executive Committee noted the latest report on the status/prospects of Article 5 countries in achieving compliance with the next control measures of the Montreal Protocol. The analysis carried out by the Secretariat was based on the latest available data, either country programme data or data reported under Article 7, as of 21 May 2010.
The Executive Committee noted the completion of three of the 19 projects that had been identified as having implementation delays. Three projects were cancelled: one refrigerant management plan (RMP) update in Ethiopia and two halon sector projects in Kuwait and the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. The remaining elements of the terminal phase-out management plan (TPMP) for Romania were also cancelled by mutual agreement between the Government of Romania and UNIDO.
Revised 2010-2014 business plans (decisions 61/5 – 61/10)
Consolidated business plan (decision 61/5)
In order to address the over-programming in the agencies’ business plans the Executive Committee, decided, inter alia, that countries for which the amounts of HCFCs to be phased out as proposed in the business plans exceeded the calculated baselines, the amounts would have to be reduced to reflect the calculated baselines as per decision 60/5(p)(iv) and pro rated by agency. The cost-effectiveness values for the foam and refrigeration sectors would be adjusted based on the combination of cost effectiveness values from decision 60/44(f) with those from the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) replenishment study, plus a 25 per cent climate premium as provided for in decision 60/44(f)(iv). In order to keep funding within the remaining funds available for the 2009-2011 replenishment, US $22,190,000 in HCFC investment project funding from non low volume consuming countries was re-allocated to the 2012-2014 triennium.
The Executive Committee also agreed to maintain entries for annual tranches of TPMPs and national phase-out plans (NPPs) initially endorsed in 2008 or 2009 for Burundi, Eritrea and Iraq and to allow their submission to the 62nd or 63rd Meeting.
The Executive Committee would consider, at its 62nd Meeting, the issue of financing activities to meet the 2013 HCFC freeze at future Executive Committee meetings as part of the project approval process.
Bilateral business plans (decision 61/6)
The Executive Committee noted the 2010-2014 business plans on bilateral cooperation submitted by Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, as adjusted and taking into account any modifications based on consideration of the issues and activities addressed in the context of the revised consolidated business plan.
Agency business plans (decisions 61/7- 61/10)
The Executive Committee endorsed the revised business plans of UNDP, UNEP, UNIDO and the World Bank for 2010-2014, as adjusted. Activities not required for compliance, except resource mobilization and ODS disposal, were removed from the business plans. Performance indicators, which would provide the basis for the evaluation of performance in 2010, were approved for the four agencies.
Programme implementation
Consolidated progress report
2009 Progress reports of bilateral and implementing agencies (decisions 61/11 - 61/16)
In order to monitor project implementation, each of the bilateral and implementing agencies submitted an annual progress report on the implementation of approved projects and activities to the 61st Meeting. The main issues common to all agencies related to the status of metered-dose inhaler (MDI) projects, chiller projects, preparation of HPMPs, the status of licensing systems vis-à-vis HCFC modifications and the efforts to provide co-funding for HPMPs. In respect of these issues, agencies were requested to provide a number of additional status reports pertaining to 292 projects and activities.
Several approved chiller projects had been delayed pending the procurement of the necessary co financing. Given that co-financing was also an issue for HPMPs the Executive Committee encouraged implementing agencies to apply the lessons learned from chiller activities to future HCFC projects. It was also noted with concern, that for the second consecutive year HPMP preparation activities were expected to take longer than had been planned. Agencies were urged to complete HPMP development as soon as possible, in close consultation with national ozone units and to advise Article 5 countries that they could seek co-financing for maximizing climate co-benefits within the HPMP, although in doing so, they should not prejudice the timely submission of the HPMP.
Bearing in mind that an ODS licensing system modified for the accelerated control measures for HCFCs was a requirement for funding HPMPs (decision 54/39(e)), the Executive Committee requested the lead agencies for HPMPs in Article 5 countries to verify the latest status of efforts towards appropriate modifications to licensing systems. Agencies were also requested to specify actions to endeavour to obtain co-financing.
Bilateral and implementing agencies were urged to submit HPMPs and HCFC sector plans to the 62nd and 63rd Meetings of the Executive Committee, bearing in mind that the first HCFC control measures would come into force in 2013.
Evaluation of the implementation of the 2009 business plans (decision 61/17)
The performance of the implementing agencies in 2009, as assessed against targets in their business plans, was slightly lower than it had been in 2008 due largely to not meeting the targets for multi-year tranches approved, individual projects approved, project completion, speed of final completion, and timely submission of project completion reports. Quantitative performance indicators showed that UNDP met 89 per cent of its targets, UNEP 85 per cent, UNIDO 92 per cent and the World Bank 71 per cent.
All of the bilateral and implementing agencies had received “satisfactory” or “highly satisfactory” ratings for their overall performance in 2009 on the basis of the qualitative performance assessments by the national ozone units (NOUs). The Committee requested UNEP’s Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) to remind Article 5 countries at regional network meetings to complete the surveys on agencies’ performance.
Project proposals (decisions 61/19 to 61/42)
The Executive Committee approved 74 investment projects and work programme activities in countries at a total value of US $21,399,620 plus support costs of US $1,567,048. Twenty-one countries received institutional strengthening (IS) funding for the full two-year period accordance with decisions 61/20 and 61/43 and one country received IS financial support for a one-year period. A further six countries received additional IS funding in accordance with decision 59/47.
2013 and 2015 HCFC control measures
HCFC phase-out management plans
The Executive Committee approved the HPMPs for Cambodia, Croatia and Ghana bringing the total of Article 5 countries with approved HPMPs to five. Funding for Cambodia’s HPMP was approved in principle at US $1.6 million, and that for Croatia at US $1,081,150. Stage 1 of the HPMP for Ghana was approved for the period 2010-2019 with funding in principle of US $1,031,311. The first funding tranches of all three HPMPs were approved.
HPMP preparation
A number of countries (Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, Jordan, Nigeria, Serbia, Sri Lanka (transferred project), Syrian Arabic Republic, Timor-Leste and Thailand) received funding for preparation of HCFC phase-out activities in a number of different sectors.
HCFC projects
Two demonstration sub-project were approved for China, one for conversion of room air-conditioning compressor manufacturing from HCFC-22 to propane and a further one for the conversion from HCFC-22 to propane in air-conditioning manufacturing (decision 61/35). HCFC phase-out projects were also approved in Argentina (phase-out of HCFC-22 in the room and unitary air-conditioning equipment manufacturing sector: decision 61/34), and the Dominican Republic (conversion from HCFC-141b in the manufacture of polyurethane rigid insulation foam for commercial refrigerators: decision 61/32).
Methyl bromide
The fifth tranche of the national phase-out of methyl bromide for China was approved.
ODS disposal projects
Preparatory funding for demonstration projects on ODS disposal were approved for India (decision 61/24) and Lebanon (decision 61/29).
Resource mobilization for climate co-benefits (decisions 61/25, 61/30 and 61/31)
The Executive Committee decided to defer consideration of the requests submitted by UNDP, UNIDO and the World Bank for funding for technical assistance for resource mobilization for climate co benefits to its 62nd Meeting.
Phase-out of CFCs
Tranches of TPMPs or NPPs were approved for Antigua and Barbuda, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominica, Ecuador, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi, Arabic and Sierra Leone. With the exception of the tranches for Burundi, Eritrea and Iraq (decision 61/5(f)), any remaining funding tranche of TPMPs or NPPs would be integrated into HPMPs pursuant to decision 60/11(b).
Deferred projects and project not required for compliance
The Executive Committee deferred to its 62nd Meeting consideration of the request of the Government of Italy for funding for a study on mechanisms and strategies for accounting emission reductions related to HCFC phase-out in the post-2012 climate regime: synergies between the Montreal Protocol and carbon finance in the introduction of alternatives to HCFCs (decision 61/21). Consideration of a number of projects for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was deferred to the 64th Meeting (decision 61/27 and 61/28). Another project for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for phase out of CTC as process agent was not considered as it was not required for compliance (decision 61/33).
Institutional strengthening (decision 61/43)
Funding for IS support would be maintained at current levels, and IS projects would be renewed for the full two-year period from the 61st Meeting, taking into account decisions 59/17 and 59/47(b) that allowed Article 5 Parties to submit IS projects as stand-alone projects or within their HPMPs. The Executive Committee would review continued IS funding at those levels at its first meeting in 2015. A revised format for IS renewals was approved and agencies were requested to use the formats for requests for renewal of IS projects submitted to the 62nd Meeting and onwards. The revised format is available on the Multilateral Fund’s website (http://www.multilateralfund.org/reporting_for_institutional_st.htm).
HCFCs
Component upgrade in HCFC conversion projects (decision 61/44)
The Executive Committee decided to maintain the established practice when evaluating component upgrades in HCFC conversion projects for the refrigeration and air conditioning sectors, such that after conversion the defining characteristics of the components would remain largely unchanged or, when no similar component was available, would only be improved to the extent necessary to allow the conversion to take place. The Secretariat would keep the Executive Committee informed of any deviation from this practice.
Cost for conversion of component manufacturing vs. incremental operating cost (decision 61/45)
The Executive Committee would consider funding the conversion of component manufacturers only when the funding requests were submitted as part of an HPMP or a sector plan under an HPMP. In cases where countries decided to include component manufacturers in their phase-out plans, bilateral and implementing agencies were requested to provide, as part of their submission, information on the incremental operating costs of all refrigeration or air-conditioning equipment manufacturers included in the plan, as well as production and export data for compressors for the three years prior to the submissions. The Secretariat would prepare a document on the level of incremental costs related to retooling for manufacturing of tube-and-fin heat exchangers for the 62nd Meeting.
Revised template for draft agreements for HCFC phase-out management plans (decision 61/46)
A revised template to be used as a reference for the drafting of an Agreement between a country and the Executive Committee regarding HPMPs was approved. Agreements for HCFC sector plans would be considered on a case by case basis. Future draft agreements of HPMPs would schedule the submission of final tranches so that HCFC consumption would be reported under Article 7 of the Montreal Protocol for 2013 before approval of the last tranche of the HPMP agreement.
Starting in 2012, the Secretariat would provide to the Committee, at the first Meeting of each year, a list of all countries with a HCFC consumption baseline of 360 metric tonnes and below that had an approved HPMP and indicate a sample of 20 per cent of countries from the list to enable the approval of such a sample for the purposes of verification of that country’s compliance with the HPMP agreement for that year. HPMPs for countries other than those in the sample would not require verification. The costs of verification would be included in the work programme amendments of the agencies in the same year and submitted in conjunction with a tranche request in the following year.
Consumption arising from HCFC-141b contained in pre-blended foam chemicals (polyols) (decision 61/47)
The Executive Committee confirmed that the phase-out of HCFC-141b contained in pre-blended polyol systems that were imported and/or manufactured domestically, and counted as consumption under Article 7, was eligible for Multilateral Fund assistance according to existing HCFC guidelines. With regard to the import of HCFC-141b contained in pre-blended polyols, which had not been counted as consumption under Article 7, countries seeking assistance for the phase-out of such imports should include in the overarching strategy for their HPMPs an indicative list of all the foam enterprises established prior to 21 September 2007 that used imported polyol systems, together with the amount of HCFC-141b contained in such systems. The annual amount of HCFC-141b contained in imported polyol systems during the 2007-2009 period would be included in the starting point for aggregate reduction in HCFC consumption.
HPMPs should include a sector plan for the complete phase-out of the use of HCFC-141b in imported pre-blended polyol systems, covering the cost and funding schedule, taking into account that the share of imported polyol within the HPMP might need support under a schedule beyond 2015. Any HCFC 141b in imported pre-blended polyol systems that had not been included in the overarching strategy for the HPMP would not be eligible for funding. The sector plan would include a commitment to put in place regulations or policies banning the import and or the use of HCFC 141b pre-blended polyol systems. Countries with eligible enterprises manufacturing polyol systems would be provided with assistance calculated on the basis of consumption of HCFC-141b sold domestically, on the understanding that the full consumption of HCFC-141b by such enterprises would be deducted from the starting point.
Production sector
The Sub-group on the Production Sector (Colombia, Grenada and India, representing Article 5 countries, and Canada, Switzerland and the United States of America, representing non-Article 5 countries) would continue discussions on the outstanding issues with respect to HCFC production sector guidelines to ensure that guidelines would be finalized at the 62nd Meeting of the Executive Committee.
Operation of the Executive Committee (decision 61/48)
The Executive Committee discussed the heavy workload for the Executive Committee, the Secretariat and the implementing agencies over the next two years in view of the first phase of the HPMPs for Article 5 countries. The Committee decided to maintain the status quo of holding three meetings a year for at least 2011, 2012 and 2013 and would review the issue of the number of meetings per year at the first meeting of 2013 in view of the workload related to HPMPs and any other issues at that stage.
Draft report of the Executive Committee to the Twenty-second Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (decision 61/50)
The Report of the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol to the Twenty-second Meeting of the Parties would be finalized based on the draft report presented to the 61st Meeting of the Executive Committee and in the light of the discussions held and decisions taken at the same Meeting.
Other matters
Nepal (decision 61/51)
The Executive Committee considered the current situation in Nepal in relation to the ratification of the Copenhagen Amendment and its HPMP. The Committee thanked the Government of Nepal for its letter on the subject and noted the concerns expressed. The Committee reiterated its current guidelines requiring the ratification of the Copenhagen Amendment in order to receive assistance to phase out HCFCs. It also urged the Government of Nepal to ratify the Copenhagen Amendment as soon as possible and to provide a commitment to the Executive Committee that it would do so by a specific date. The HPMP for Nepal would be considered at the 62nd Meeting in light of any additional information on the status of ratification.
Haiti (decision 61/52)
The Executive Committee approved US $20,000 as additional emergency assistance for institutional strengthening on an exceptional basis, taking into consideration the circumstances facing the national ozone unit in Haiti following the devastating earthquake of 2010. At the 62nd Meeting, UNEP, as lead agency, would present a strategy and action plan to assist Haiti to return to the pre-earthquake implementation level.
62nd and 63rd Meetings of the Executive Committee (decision 61/53)
The Executive Committee decided to hold its 62nd Meeting in Montreal from 29 November to 3 December 2010, thus amending decision 60/51. Regarding the 63rd Meeting, the Secretariat was urged to select a date as early in the year as possible because the date of the Meeting of the Parties in 2011 was expected to be moved forward.
Report of the 61st Meeting
A complete record of all decisions made at the 61st Meeting, including those covered in this document, can be found in the “Report of the Sixty-first Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol” (UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/61/58) which is published on the Multilateral Fund’s website (www.multilateralfund.org). The report is available in Arabic, English, French, and Spanish.
Annex 1 - Attendance at the 61st Meeting of the Executive Committee
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Executive Committee Members |
Co-opted countries |
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Non Article 5 |
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Canada (Vice Chair) |
Australia |
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Belgium |
Netherlands |
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France |
Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom |
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Japan |
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Switzerland |
Sweden |
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United States of America |
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Article 5 |
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| Colombia (Chair) |
Argentina, Plurinational State of Bolivia and Brazil |
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Grenda |
Cuba, Dominican Republic and Saint Lucia |
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India |
China and Malaysia |
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Morocco |
Comoros and Mali |
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Namibia |
Kenya |
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Saudi Arabia |
Jordan and Lebanon |
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Senegal |
Swaziland |
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