Timor-Leste has become the last Government to officially deposit the instruments of accession to the ozone protection treaties, making the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer the most adhered agreements in the history of the United Nations with 196 participating States.
“We are very pleased to be joining hands with the rest of the world in the fight against the depletion of the ozone layer and the effort towards its recovery.” Dr Zacarias da Costa said
Foreign Minister Da Costa added “Timor - Leste is proud to contribute to the global efforts of the international community to protect the Earth’s protective shield and very happy to be instrumental in achieving the universal participation in the ozone treaties.”
Though over 97% of controlled ozone-depleting substances have already been phased-out, the work by the Parties is far from over. The end of 2009 will mark another significant milestone in the history of the implementation of the Montreal Protocol – all the developing countries will completely stop the use of the major ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
Foreign Minister Dr Zacarias da Costa indicated that:”Timor Leste will participate as the newest member of the ozone family in the coming Meeting of the Parties in Egypt in November”. This historic meeting will be the first to bring together the highest number ever of participating States under an international environmental protection treaty”.
CFCs are being replaced with alternatives that include hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which will also be phased out in the near future; its alternatives include hydrofluorocarbons (HCFs), which, however, have a high global warming potential and are therefore not good for climate protection.
For the last few years, the Parties to the Montreal Protocol have been exploring possibilities and alternatives to HCFCs that minimize global warming and other impacts on the environment as well as meeting other health, safety and economic considerations.
Minister Da Costa also said that “As these efforts intensify, it is our hope that the Parties to the Montreal Protocol will make significant contribution to climate protection after 2010. Indeed, the ozone-climate protection nexus is likely to be the next main challenge to the implementation of the Montreal Protocol as CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances are terminally phased-out.”
“We undertake to implement and comply with the Montreal Protocol like all other states that preceded us in this important journey We are doing this in solidarity with the international community from which we expect support in the implementation of the Montreal Protocol. .” Minister Zacarias said
For more information please contact:
Maria-Gabriela Carrascalao H
Media Advisor
Ministerio dos Negocios Estrangeiros
Tel: +61- 417 050 754
Email : maria.heard@mne.gov.tl or
mgabrielacarrascalaoh@gmail.com
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