United Nations
Environment
Programme
UNEP/OzL.Pro.25/CRP.3/Rev.1
25 October 2013
Original: English
Twenty-Fifth Meeting of the Parties to
the Montreal Protocol on Substances that
Deplete the Ozone Layer
Bangkok, 21–25 October 2013
Item 4 (b) of the agenda for the preparatory segment
Issues related to exemptions from Articles 2A–2I of the Montreal
Protocol: nominations for critical-use exemptions for 2014 and 2015
Decision XXV/...: Critical-use exemptions for methyl bromide
for 2015
Submission by Australia, Canada and the United States of America
The Twenty Fifth Meeting of the Parties decides:
Noting with appreciation the work of the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel and its
Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee,
Recognizing the significant reductions made in critical-use nominations for methyl bromide in
many parties,
Recalling paragraph 10 of decision XVII/9,
Recalling also that all parties that have nominated critical-use exemptions are to report data on
stocks using the accounting framework agreed to by the Sixteenth Meeting of the Parties,
Recognizing that the production and consumption of methyl bromide for critical uses should be
permitted only if methyl bromide is not available in sufficient quantity and quality from existing
stocks of banked or recycled methyl bromide,
Recognizing also that parties operating under critical-use exemptions should take into account
the extent to which methyl bromide is available in sufficient quantity and quality from existing stocks
of banked or recycled methyl bromide in licensing, permitting or authorizing the production and
consumption of methyl bromide for critical uses,
Recognizing that soilless systems for strawberry runners are economically and technically
feasible and in use in many countries, but are not yet economically and technically feasible throughout
Australia,
Recognizing that Australia has a research programme to identify technically and economically
feasible alternatives to methyl bromide for strawberry runners,
Recognizing that technically and economically feasible alternatives, including soilless culture
systems, are currently not available for the production of strawberry runners in Prince Edward Island,
Canada,
Also recognizing that Canada will proceed with its assessment of the impact of chloropicrin on
ground water in Prince Edward Island, Canada,
Acknowledging that the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel, and specifically its
Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee, produce reports that are science based, independent
and robust and that all parties should strive to respect the results of this work,
1.
To request that Australia submit, by the thirty-sixth Open-ended Working Group meeting,
available results of its research programme to the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel for its
consideration.
2.
To request that Canada submit, by the thirty-sixth Open-ended Working Group meeting, the
available results of its assessment of the impact of chloropicrin on groundwater to the Technology and
Economic Assessment Panel for its consideration.
UNEP/OzL.Pro.25/CRP.3/Rev.1
3.
To consider approving a critical use nomination for the U.S. California strawberry sector in
2014 and approve sufficient methyl bromide for use in 2016 to enable this sector to complete its
intended transition out of critical uses for methyl bromide by the end of 2016.
4.
To permit, for the agreed critical-use categories for 2015 set forth in table A of the annex to the
present decision for each party, subject to the conditions set forth in the present decision and in
decision Ex.I/4 to the extent that those conditions are applicable, the levels of production and
consumption for 2015 set forth in table B of the annex to the present decision, which are necessary to
satisfy critical uses, with the understanding that additional levels of production and consumption and
categories of use may be approved by the Meeting of the Parties in accordance with decision IX/6;
5.
That parties shall endeavour to license, permit, authorize or allocate quantities of methyl
bromide for critical uses as listed in table A of the annex to the present decision;
6.
That each party that has an agreed critical-use exemption shall renew its commitment to
ensuring that the criteria in paragraph 1 of decision IX/6, in particular the criterion laid down in
paragraph 1 (b) (ii) of decision IX/6, are applied in licensing, permitting or authorizing critical uses of
methyl bromide, with each party requested to report on the implementation of the present provision to
the Ozone Secretariat by 1 February for the years to which the present decision applies;
7.
To request the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel to ensure that its consideration of
nominations analyse the impact of national, subnational and local regulations and law on the potential
use of methyl bromide alternatives and to include a description of the analysis in the critical-use
nomination report;
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UNEP/OzL.Pro.25/CRP.3/Rev.1
Annex
Table A
Agreed critical-use categories for 2015
(Metric tonnes)
Australia
Canada
United States of America
Strawberry runners 29.760
Strawberry runners (Prince Edward Island) 5.261
Strawberry field 373.66, cured pork 3.24
Table B
Permitted levels of production and consumption for 2015
(Metric tonnes)
Australia
Canada
United States of America
a Minus
29.760
5.261
376.90a
available stocks.
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