Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, deposits the instrument of ratification of Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol and the instrument of accession to the 1958 Agreement with the United Nations Chief of Treaties, Mr David Nanopoulos. (CREDIT: NYPM)
UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK, 3 November 2022 – Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, deposited the instrument of ratification for the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in a ceremony at the United Nations. He also deposited the instrument of accession to the Working Plan-29 1958 Agreement. The United Nations’ Chief of Treaties, Mr. David Nanopoulos, received the instruments on behalf of the Secretary General of the United Nations, the depositary for the said multilateral agreements.
The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol is an international agreement to gradually reduce the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). With the ratification, the Philippines can pursue the elimination of HFCs, which while currently used as replacements of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), are powerful greenhouse gases.
“The ratification of the Kigali Amendment bolsters Philippine pursuit of a climate-resilient and sustainable economy. By phasing down hydrofluorocarbons, it strengthens the Montreal Protocol as a powerful tool against global warming and climate change,” Ambassador Lagdameo said on the occasion of the deposit.
The Philippines ratified the Montreal Protocol in 1991. Meanwhile, the Amendment was adopted at the Twenty-Eighth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol held in Kigali from 10 to 15 October 2016. The Philippines is the 144th Party to the Kigali Amendment which will enter into force for the Philippines on 1 February 2023.
Meanwhile, accession to the Working Plan-29 1958 Agreement is expected to be a boon to vehicle and vehicle component manufacturers, as it eliminates the need to receive approval from multiple authorities and ensures that manufacturers comply with only a single interpretation of the applicable regulations.
“With Philippine accession to 1958 Agreement, we become part of a global framework aimed at harmonizing technical regulations for vehicles, improving vehicle safety, protecting the environment, and promoting energy efficiency,” said Ambassador Lagdameo.
The 1958 Agreement is also known as the Agreement Concerning the Adoption of Harmonized Technical United Nations Regulations for Wheeled Vehicles, Equipment and Parts which can be Fitted and/or be Used on Wheeled Vehicles and the Conditions for Reciprocal Recognition of Approvals Granted on the Basis of these United Nations Regulations.
“Treaties are an important source of international law. The deposit of these treaty instruments manifests our faith in international law which – as underscored by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – underpins the rules-based international order,” Ambassador Lagdameo concluded at the end of the deposit ceremony.
The Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, also facilitates the registration and subsequent publication of existing and valid treaties with the United Nations. Along with the deposit of instruments, registration and publication promote transparency and better understanding of accepted norms in international law and foster compliance with obligations by States Parties under legally binding international agreements. END
Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, is joined by Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative Ariel Penaranda and First Secretary Azela Arumpac-Marte at the deposit ceremony at the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs. (CREDIT:NYPM)