PM to open meet of Parties to Montreal Protocol

New Delhi, Oct 28: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the 18th meeting of Parties to Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer here on November two.

The preparatory segment of the conference will be opened by Minister of Environment and Forest A Raja on October 30.

The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty formulated to protect the ozone layer through phasing out the production of a number of substances believed to be responsible for ozone depletion.

The treaty was opened for signature on September 16, 1987 and entered into force on January 1, 1989.

Since then, it has undergone five revisions, in 1990 (London), 1992 (Copenhagen), 1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), and 1999 (Beijing). The treaty has been been hailed as an example of exceptional international cooperation beacuse of its widespread adoption and implementation.

The 18th meeting of parties to the Protocol, which now number 189, will take stock of the situation regarding the reduction targets and deliberate on further strategies to achieve the goal.

A large number of environmentalists, environment activists and representatives of foreign nations and NGOs will participate in the meeting.

UNI