372. Memorandum From President Reagan to Multiple Recipients1
The negotiation of an international protocol for regulation of chemicals believed capable of future depletion of stratospheric ozone is of great importance in our efforts to adopt sound environmental policies. Pursuant to this, and after considering the extensive work and recommendations of the Domestic Policy Council over the past several months, the following will guide the U.S. delegation in its negotiating activities leading to an international protocol on protection of the ozone layer, which we hope to be able to conclude later this year.
It is important that all nations that produce or use ozone-depleting chemicals participate in efforts to address this problem. The U.S. delegation will attempt, therefore, to ensure that the protocol enters into [Page 1071] force only when a substantial proportion of the producing/consuming countries have signed and ratified it. I expect this to be well above a majority of the major producing/consuming countries.
In order to encourage participation by all countries, it is recognized that lesser developed nations should be given a limited grace period, up to the year 2000, to allow some increases in their domestic consumption. And, the U.S. delegation will seek to negotiate a system of voting for protocol decisions that gives due weight to the significant producing and consuming countries.
To achieve a majority of the health and environmental benefits derived from retention of the ozone layer, and to spur industry to develop substitutes for chemicals in question, the U.S. delegation will seek a freeze at 1986 levels on production/consumption of all seriously ozone-depleting chemicals, including chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) 11, 12, 113, 114, 115; and Halons 1201 and 1311, to take effect one or two years after the protocol entry into force. The earliest expected date for entry into force is 1988.
The U.S. delegation will also seek strong provisions for monitoring, reporting, and enforcement to secure the best possible compliance with the protocol, but they need not seek a system of credits for emissions reduction resulting from the 1978 U.S. ban of non-essential aerosols.
In addition to a freeze, the U.S. delegation will seek a 20% reduction from 1986 levels of CFCs 11, 12, 113, 114 and 115 four years after entry into force of the protocol, and following a 1990 international review of updated scientific evidence. The 20% reduction should take place automatically, unless reversed by a 2/3 vote of parties. The U.S. delegation will seek a second-phase CFC reduction of an additional 30% from 1986 levels, which would occur about eight years after entry into force of the protocol, and following scientific review. This would occur automatically, unless reversed by a 2/3 vote of parties.
The U.S. delegation will seek a trade provision in the protocol that will best protect U.S. industry in world markets, by authorizing trade restrictions against CFC-related imports from countries that do not join or comply with the protocol provisions. It is our policy to insure that countries not be able to profit from not participating in the international agreement, and to insure that U.S. industry is not disadvantaged in any way through participation.
It is the U.S. position that the ultimate objective is protecting the ozone layer by eventual elimination of realistic threats from man-made chemicals, and that we support actions determined to be necessary based on regularly scheduled scientific assessments.
- Source: Department of State, Environmental Issues, 1979–1993, Lot 93D395, Ozone. Confidential. Sent to Bush, Shultz, J. Baker, Weinberger, Meese, Hodel, Lyng, Baldrige, Bowen, Pierce, Herrington, Bennett, Miller, Yeutter, and Thomas.↩