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 The
Parties to the Montreal Protocol established a Multilateral
Fund that provides developing countries with the technical and
financial assistance needed to comply with the Protocol. Along with
UNDP, UNIDO and the World Bank, UNEP is one of the Fund’s Implementing
Agencies.
Since 1991, the UNEP
Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE) OzonAction
Programme has been strengthening the capacity of governments –
particularly National Ozone Units (NOUs) -- and industry in developing
countries to elaborate and enforce the policies required to implement
the Protocol and make informed decisions about alternative technologies.
To help developing countries ("Article 5 countries")
better cope with demands of the Protocol compliance period, UNEP
strategically reoriented its approaches and delivery mechanisms
in 2002 by creating a Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP). The
majority of the CAP staff
is based in UNEP’s Regional Offices, where they closely interact
with countries to support and sustain compliance. This regional
delivery mechanism is a distinct feature of the OzonAction Programme.
The CAP provides the following assistance to developing countries:
- Information Clearinghouse that promotes the overall visibility
of the Montreal Protocol and the Multilateral Fund achievements
and supports the development and implementation of regional and
national information, education and communication strategies.
- Regional
Networks of Ozone Officers that promote the exchange of information,
experience and know-how required to meet the Montreal Protocol
commitments, report data, set and enforce policies, adopt technologies
and effectively manage the NOU.
- Capacity
building activities that help developing countries and CEITs
build national capacity and create enabling environment for the
implementation of national ODS phase-out programmes
- Sector-specific direct assistance
related to policy,
enforcement and customs, and management of refrigerants,
halon
and methyl
bromide.
To design and deliver its services to developing countries, UNEP
collaborates with a number of developed countries. These partners
include Austria, Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, the European
Commission, France, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, The
Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Spain,
Sweden and Switzerland. New partnerships
are being developed with the Secretariats of chemical, waste and
climate change related treaties to integrate the objectives of the
Montreal Protocol with other global environmental issues. UNEP additionally
partners with international, regional and national industry and
farmer organisations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and
training institutes in order to achieve its goals.
The OzonAction Programme has won several awards
for its services to developing countries.
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About
the Multilateral Fund
The Multilateral Fund for the Implementation
of the Montreal  Protocol
began its operation in 1991. The Fund's main objective is
to assist developing country parties to the Montreal Protocol
whose annual per capita consumption and production of ozone-depleting
substances is less than 0.3 kg to comply with the control
measures of the Protocol. These countries are referred to
as Article 5 countries.
Activities are implemented by four
international agencies - UNDP, UNEP, UNIDO, World Bank - and
a number of bilateral implementing agencies of donor countries.
Responsibility for overseeing the
operation of the Fund rests with the Executive Committee comprising
seven members each from Article 5 countries and non-Article
5 countries. The Committee is assisted by the Fund Secretariat
which is based in Montreal.
Since 1991, the Multilateral Fund
has approved activities including industrial conversion, technical
assistance, training and capacity building worth over US $2
billion.
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