Multilateral Environmental Agreements on the Ground – Lessons from Supporting Implementation of the Montreal Protocol

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates the Swedish Ozone Layer Protection programme (OLP), a bilateral initiative from 1999 to 2006 designed to support the implementation of the Montreal Protocol in developing countries and economies in transition. The report identifies country ownership, capacity building, and stakeholder participation as critical governance factors for the successful national phase-out of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). It argues that a shift from top-down regulation to bottom-up governance is necessary for sustainable implementation and provides recommendations for reforming the incentive structures of implementing agencies and the status of national ozone units.

• True country ownership is often hindered by institutional behaviours and the tendency of national ozone units to rely on implementing agencies to lead the strategic process, which results in a long-term loss of ownership.
• The position of the national ozone unit within the government hierarchy significantly impacts implementation; units with higher status possess more political influence, while those in lower positions may be less burdened by other duties but lack the power to effect change.
• The placement of project management units affects country ownership; establishing these units at the ministerial level strengthens the national ozone unit's insight and control, whereas outsourcing them to consultancy firms decreases ministerial control and reduces flexibility.
• Capacity building is most effective when integrated into existing vocational schools and regular training institutes rather than through one-off project arrangements, though it is time-consuming and requires additional resources.
• Regional networking between national ozone units and customs officers in South East Asia and the Pacific (SEAP) and South Asia (SA) has proven to be an effective method for curbing the illegal trade of ODS.
• Early and thorough stakeholder participation, particularly during the planning phase, is essential for gaining industry acceptance and ensuring the effectiveness of ODS phase-out measures, especially for small and medium-sized companies.
• Current incentive structures for desk officers in implementing agencies and national authorities prioritize the volume and number of projects over long-term sustainability and actual impact, creating a barrier to 'soft' governance approaches.
• Lessons from the Montreal Protocol's implementation are applicable to other chemicals-related MEAs, such as the Stockholm Convention, the Rotterdam Convention, the Basel Convention, and the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM).
• Implementation of the Kyoto Protocol is expected to be more challenging than the Montreal Protocol because it requires systemic societal changes in energy and transport systems rather than the marginal substitution of substances.

APA

Persson, L., Persson, Å., & Nilsson, M. (2007). Multilateral Environmental Agreements on the Ground – Lessons from Supporting Implementation of the Montreal Protocol. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Policy-institutions/multilateral_environmental_agreements_montreal_protocol.pdf

Chicago

Persson, Linn, Åsa Persson, and Måns Nilsson. Multilateral Environmental Agreements on the Ground – Lessons from Supporting Implementation of the Montreal Protocol. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2007. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Policy-institutions/multilateral_environmental_agreements_montreal_protocol.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Persson |first1=Linn |last2=Persson |first2=Åsa |last3=Nilsson |first3=Måns |title=Multilateral Environmental Agreements on the Ground – Lessons from Supporting Implementation of the Montreal Protocol |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2007 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Policy-institutions/multilateral_environmental_agreements_montreal_protocol.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{persson2007multilateral, author = {Persson, Linn and Persson, Åsa and Nilsson, Måns}, title = {{Multilateral Environmental Agreements on the Ground – Lessons from Supporting Implementation of the Montreal Protocol}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2007}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Policy-institutions/multilateral_environmental_agreements_montreal_protocol.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }