The Meeting to Commemorate the 2022 World Ozone Day in China was held by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) on September 16. Mr. Zhao Yingmin, Vice Minister of MEE attended and addressed the meeting.

The meeting noted that the Montreal Protocol is an exemplary model of practicing multilateralism, implementing the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and addressing challenges through collective collaboration from the international community. Over the past 35 years, with the joint efforts of the Parties and the international community, over 99% of ozone depleting substances (ODS) have been phased out globally. The Government of China has always attached great importance to the implementation of international environmental conventions, firmly uphold multilateralism and strictly fulfill international commitments. To date, China has phased out roughly 504,000 metric tons of ODS and has made positive contributions to the protection of ozone layer and mitigation of climate change. In the past year, China has comprehensively implemented the Kigali Amendment, carried out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) control, and launched a new historical chapter on jointly addressing ozone layer depletion and climate change.

The meeting stressed that the world now has been plagued by multiple problems, and we must carry forward the successful experience of the Montreal Protocol, keep the spirit of cooperation, firmly safeguard multilateralism, adhere to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and continue to commit to global environmental governance actions to protect the ozone layer and mitigate climate change. China will continuously improve regulation and policy systems, strictly implement compliance tasks, fully fulfill compliance commitments, continue to strengthen capacity building, and deepen international cooperation to make greater contributions to protecting life on earth.

Ms. Megumi Seki, Executive Secretary of the Ozone Secretariat, Ms. Tina Birmpili, Chief Officer of the Multilateral Fund Secretariat, relevant officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and General Administration of Customs, representatives of relevant UN agencies and Prof. Yuan Xikun, UNEP Patron for the Arts and Environment attended and addressed the meeting. The winners of China Ozone2Climate Art Contest was also announced at the meeting.

The meeting was held via video conference. The meeting was attended by more than 200 guests from international agencies and bilateral and multilateral organizations, member ministries of the National Leading Group for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, relevant departments and bureaus of MEE, local ecological and environmental bureaus, research institutions, industrial associations, and Implementation Experts.