ShareHighlights from COP13/MOP36 – Day 4
Today, at COP13/MOP36 in Bangkok, high-level discussions continued as delegates, scientists, and policy leaders gathered with renewed urgency to protect the ozone layer and address climate challenges.
COP12 President Ndiaye Cheikh Sylla (Senegal) opened the high-level segment, underscoring the Protocol’s legacy as a model of successful multilateral action. UNEP Deputy Executive Director Elizabeth Mrema emphasised the climate benefits of universal ratification of the Kigali Amendment to curb climate-warming hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by 2026, predicting it could prevent up to 1°C of global warming by century’s end.
In her outgoing address, MOP35 President Azra Rogović-Grubić (Bosnia and Herzegovina) highlighted the record-breaking USD 965 million replenishment of the Multilateral Fund (MLF), aimed at helping developing nations in HFC phase-down.
National statements from participating countries highlighted significant strides in phasing out ozone depleting substances, emphasising priorities like improved refrigerant lifecycle management, advanced atmospheric monitoring, combating illegal trade, and boosting energy efficiency.
Efforts also focused on building consensus within contact and informal groups, alongside budget discussions to secure final approval on the proposed actions by the week’s end. At a high-level event led by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), the recently released Global Nitrous Oxide Assessment was spotlighted. Delegates called for coordinated global action to reduce nitrous oxide emissions, underscoring the multiple benefits for climate, air quality, and human health.
Persistent issues such as addressing HFC-23 emissions, securing financial resources, and expanding atmospheric monitoring capabilities, remind delegates of the significant challenges ahead. Nonetheless, there is optimism that COP13/MOP36 will result in strengthened strategies that support both environmental and climate resilience.
As discussions continue on the final day, delegates hope to reach resolutions that will further the Protocol’s goals, ensuring that progress on ozone and climate protection remains robust and inclusive.