The Conference,
Noting with appreciation that the Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer
was opened for signature in Vienna on 22 March 1985,
Bearing in mind decision 8/7B adopted on 29 April 1980 by the Governing Council of
the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),
Considering that the Convention is an important step to protect the ozone layer from
modifications due to human activities,
Noting that article 2 of the Convention establishes an obligation to take appropriate
measures to protect human health and the environment against adverse effects resulting
or likely to result from human activities which modify or are likely to modify the
ozone layer,
Recognizing the possibility that world-wide emissions and use of fully-halogenated
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other chlorine-containing substances can significantly
deplete and otherwise modify the ozone layer, leading to potentially adverse effects
on human health, crops, marine life, materials and climate, and recognizing at the same time the need to further assess possible modifications and their potentially
adverse effects,
Mindful of the precautionary measures for controlling emissions and use of CFCs that
have already been taken at national and regional levels, but recognizing that such
measures might not be sufficient for protecting the ozone layer,
Determined therefore to continue negotiations on the development of a protocol to
control equitably global production, emissions and use of CFCs,
Mindful that special consideration should be given to the particular situation of
developing countries,
Mindful also of the relationship between the level of industrialization of a State
and its responsibilities for the protection of the ozone layer,
Noting the considerable progress made by the Ad Hoc Working Group of Legal and Technical Experts for the Elaboration of a Global Framework
Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer to develop a protocol concerning
CFCs, but further noting that the Working Group was not in a position to complete
its work on the protocol,
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1. Pending the entry into force of the Convention, requests the Executive Director of UNEP, on the basis of the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group, to convene a working group to continue work on a protocol that addresses
both short and long term strategies to control equitably global production emissions
and use CFCs, taking into account the particular situation of developing countries
as well as updated scientific and economic research;
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2. Urges all interested parties, in order to facilitate work on a protocol, to co-operate
in studies leading to a more common understanding of possible scenarios for global
production, emissions and use of CFCs and other substances affecting the ozone layer
and the costs and effects of various control measures and, to this end, requests such
parties to sponsor, under the patronage of UNEP, a workshop on this subject;
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3. Requests the working group, in further developing a protocol, to take into account,
inter alia, the report of the Co-ordinating Committee on the Ozone Layer on its eighth session
as well as the 1985 World Meteorological Organization assessment of the current understanding
of the physical and chemical processes which control atmospheric ozone;
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4. Authorizes the Executive Director, in consultation with the signatories and pending
the entry into force of the Convention, to convene a Diplomatic Conference, if possible
in 1987, for the purpose of adopting such a protocol;
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5. Appeals to signatories to the Convention and to other interested parties participating
in the preparation of a protocol to make available financial means to support activities
envisaged under the above paragraphs;
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6. Urges all States and regional economic integration organizations, pending entry into
force of a protocol, to control their emissions of CFCs, inter alia in aerosols, by any means at their disposal, including controls on production or
use, to the maximum extent practicable.
