More than 120 countries have appealed in Beijing Declaration more effective action in protecting the ozone layer.

The Beijing Declaration has urged developed countries to fulfill their international obligations under the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol by providing developing countries with financial support and the technology to protect the ozone layer.

The declaration was passed in Beijing late last night at the 11th Meeting of the Montreal Protocol by representatives from 123 countries. Getting rid of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and ODCs needs to be urgently addressed amid growing ozone holes in the earth's atmosphere. The international community decided in 1987 in the Montreal Protocol to eliminate CFCs and ODCs by 2010.

The pact said that developed countries "have largely ceased the production and consumption of CFCs from January 1, 1996", while the developing countries "committed themselves to freezing their production and consumption of CFCs at the average level of the period 1995-1997, from July 1, 1999".

Xie Zhenhua, director of China's Environmental Protection Administration, said today that an extra 475.7 million US dollars will be raised for the Multilateral Fund to help poor countries fulfill their ozone protection obligations.