Singapore has reaffirmed its commitment to international efforts to protect the ozone layer by acceding to the 1999 Beijing Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.  The 1999 Beijing Amendment, which is the most recent amendment to the Montreal Protocol, came into force on 25 Feb 2002. It introduced control measures for production for hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and imposed restrictions on trade with non-Parties for these HCFCs. The amendment further introduced control measures for both production and consumption for one new group of substances, namely bromochloromethane (BCM). The periodical revisions of the Montreal Protocol have ensured that efforts to prevent ozone layer depletion are on track.

 Singapore has been a party to the Montreal Protocol, an international agreement instrumental in curbing the production and consumption of ozone depleting substances (ODS) since 1989, and had also acceded to the following Amendments to the Protocol: -

a) the 1990 London Amendment in 1993;
b) the 1992 Copenhagen Amendment  in 2000; and
c) the 1997 Montreal Amendment in 2000.    

 Singapore deposited its instrument of accession to the Beijing Amendment with the Secretary-General of the United Nations in New York on 10 Jan 2007. The Amendment will enter into force for Singapore on the 90th day after the date of deposition of the instrument. With the accession to the Beijing Amendment, Singapore is now a party to the Montreal Protocol and all its Amendments.

MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER RESOURCES
11 JAN 2007

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
TO PRESS RELEASE

Beijing Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer

The 1987 Montreal Protocol is a landmark treaty which calls for the international community to phase-out the use of ozone-depleting substances under specific timetables. Subsequent amendments were introduced to the Protocol to strengthen the control regime including putting new substances under the control. The measures imposed on Parties by the Montreal Protocol and each of these amendments are briefly outlined in Annex A.

The Beijing Amendment (BA) was adopted in 1999 and entered into force on 25 February 2002. The Amendment:

(i) introduced control measures for production of Hydrochlorofluorocarbons or HCFCs;
(ii) imposed restrictions on trade with non-Parties for these HCFCs.
(iii) introduced control measures for both production and consumption for one new group of substances, namely Bromochloromethane or BCM.

Effectively, a Party to the BA is obliged to:
 
a) Phase out BCM by 1 Jan 2002;
b) Restrict trade on HCFCs with non-Parties to the Copenhagen Amendment (CA) and BA, from 1 Jan 2004 for developed countries, and 1 Jan 2016 for developing countries; and
c) Ensure that their production of HCFCs does not exceed 15% of the base level production of 2015, by 1 Jan 2016 for developing countries.

More information on BCMs and HCFCs is at Annex B.

BCMs have never been traded in Singapore. Singapore also does not produce any HCFCs. However, HCFCs are traded and consumed in Singapore.

Singapore’s accession to the Beijing Amendment will not have any impact on our local industries until 1 Jan 2016 when the phase-out of HCFC commences for developing country Parties.

Annex A

Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol

The discovery of the ozone 'hole' in 1985 shocked the world. It is regarded as one of this century's major environmental disasters. What is not generally known is that scientists have, since 1974 been warning the world that the ozone layer will deplete rapidly unless we stop using ozone depleting chemicals.

It took 11 years of assessment, research, and negotiations to promote the first general ozone agreement in 1985. This agreement, known as the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, was a pledge to protect the ozone layer. The Vienna Convention encourages intergovernmental cooperation on research, systematic observation of the ozone layer, monitoring of CFC production, and the exchange of information.

The specific commitments came in 1987 through the Montreal Protocol. It was designed so that the phase out schedules could be revised on the basis of periodic scientific and technological assessments.

Governments have, over the years, taken action to strengthen the Protocol through amendments. It was adjusted to accelerate the phase out schedules. It has also been amended to introduce other kinds of control measures and to add new controlled substances to the list.

The implementation of the Protocol has led to a dramatic drop in the consumption of ozone depleting chemicals in the last fifteen years. Scientists predict that the ozone layer will begin to recover in a few years and will be fully restored by the year 2050, if states complete the implementation of the Protocol.

London Amendment

The London Amendment was adopted in 1990 at the Second Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol held in London.

The Amendment introduced control measures for both production and consumption for three new groups of substances, namely other halogenated CFCs, Carbon Tetrachloride and Methyl Chloroform or 1,1,1-trichloroethane. Control measures also included restrictions on trade with non-Parties.

The financial mechanism was also established for providing financial and technical assistance to developing countries to enable their compliance with their obligations under the Protocol. The financial mechanism meets the agreed incremental costs of developing countries in order to enable their compliance with the control measures of the Protocol.

The Amendment further introduced HCFCs, but only required reporting of production and consumption data and did not introduce control measures.

The London Amendment entered into force on 10 August 1992. To date, 184 parties, out of a total of 191 parties to the Montreal Protocol, have ratified or acceded to the London Amendment.

Copenhagen Amendment

The Copenhagen Amendment was adopted in 1992 at the Fourth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol held in Copenhagen.

The Amendment (i) introduced control measures for consumption for HCFCs. The Amendment further (ii) introduced control measures for both production and consumption for two new groups of substances, namely HBFCs and Methyl Bromide.

The Copenhagen Amendment entered into force on 14 June 1994. To date, 175 parties, out of a total of 191 parties to the Montreal Protocol, have ratified or acceded to the Copenhagen Amendment.

Montreal Amendment

The Montreal Amendment was adopted in 1997 at the Ninth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol held in Montreal.

This is the only amendment that did not introduce new substances to the protocol. Instead, the Amendment (i) introduced the requirement for licensing systems to allow control and monitoring of trade in substances controlled under the Protocol.

The Montreal Amendment entered into force on 10 November 1999. To date, 149 parties, out of a total of 191 parties to the Montreal Protocol, have ratified or acceded to the Montreal Amendment.

Annex B

Bromochloromethane (BCM)
and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)

• BCMs are used mainly as process agents, industrial solvents and in fire-extuinguishers under the name Halon-1011.

• HCFCs are used in applications previously using CFCs, such as in refrigeration (commercial and residential), manufacture of rigid insulating foam and as industrial solvents. While much less destructive than CFCs, they also contribute to ozone depletion.

• The trade restriction in HCFCs is to encourage countries to accede to the Copenhagen Amendment and to prevent the possibility of production of HCFCs migrating to non-parties in contravention of the controls.

• Ozone depleting substances (ODS), including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, and several other chemicals, are responsible for thinning the stratospheric ozone layer. When these substances reach the stratosphere, UV radiation from the sun breaks them apart to release chlorine or bromine atoms which react with ozone thus depleting the ozone layer. One chlorine atom can destroy more than 100,000 ozone molecules, while a bromine atom can destroy about 4,000,000 ozone molecules.

• ODS vary in their capacity to destroy ozone molecules.  Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) is a measure of the capability of a particular chemical to destroy ozone, measured against CFC-11 which has an ozone- depleting potential of 1. This allows different chemicals to be compared using a common unit (CFC 11-equivalents). For example, a chemical such as Halon 2402 (ODP = 6) is six times more detrimental to the stratospheric ozone layer than CFC 11 and halon 1302 has an ODP of 10. BCM has an ODP of 0.12 or 12% of the damaging potential of CFCs whereas HCFCs, taking HCFC -22, has an ODP of 0.055, attributing them with 5.5% of the damaging potential of CFCs.