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The World's Most Successful Treaty. |
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by Rosa Domingos | 07-09-2018 21:50
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Could the Montreal Protocol be the world?s most successful treaty? In 1987, a number of countries around the world came together to sign the Protocol. Their mission? To save the ozone layer. The Montreal Protocol marks its 30th anniversary on 16 September 2017, the UN?s International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. The celebration is all the more special, because the treaty worked. What is the ozone? The Earth is cocooned a layer of atmosphere that protects it from the sun?s ultraviolet rays. These rays can cause skin cancer, create cataracts in our eyes and impair our immune systems; they also threaten plant growth and food chains.  Image: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio Health benefits Thanks to the treaty, more than 135 billion tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions were prevented from reaching the atmosphere between 1990 and 2010. It is estimated that up to 2 million cases of skin cancer worldwide may be prevented each year by 2030. The global health and economic benefits are expected to amount to US$2.2 trillion, as a result of averted damages to agriculture, fisheries and materials. Over 98% of ozone-depleting substances have been phased out globally to date. Without the treaty, the hole in the Antarctic ozone would have been 40% larger in 2013. In 1974, scientists discovered that the ozone layer was getting thinner. Then they found that the problem was probably caused by human activities. The atmospheric layer was being depleted by chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were at the time widely used in aerosol cans, fire retardants and fridges, among other things. In particular, scientists saw that there were very large decreases in ozone concentrations over Antarctica. So much so, that it became known as the Antarctic Ozone Hole. In 1987, countries came together – eventually 197 in total – and agreed to stop using CFCs and similar ozone-depleting chemicals by signing the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The protocol was agreed on 16 September 1987 and entered into force on 1 January 1989. Progress so far In 2016, scientists discovered that the agreement was working. The ozone layer was healing. Using a combination of measurements from satellites, ground-based instruments and weather balloons, a team of scientists found that since 2000 the hole has shrunk by 4 million square kilometres – an area bigger than India.  Satellite data shows the layer of ozone molecules in the upper atmosphere returning to normal. Image: NASA Building on its success, the Protocol was amended last year. The Kigali Amendment added an agreement to phase out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). This group of chemicals replaced CFCs because they are ozone-safe. However, while they aren?t directly responsible for depleting the ozone layer, they are powerful greenhouse gases. Although only comprising a small proportion of emissions, HFCs can be thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to climate change. The Montreal Protocol could be the single largest real contribution the world has made so far towards keeping the global temperature rise "well below" 2 degrees Celsius. This is the target agreed at the Paris climate conference last year. At current estimates, the hole will close completely around the middle of this century. References: The conservation. 2017. Saving the ozone layer: why the Montreal Protocol worked. [Online]. Available: https://theconversation.com/saving-the-ozone-layer-why-the-montreal-protocol-worked-9249. September 9, 2012. Accessed: 6 September 2018. |
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Previous : About Ozone Depletion 
9 Comments
Greetings rosa
I hope you are doing well
Thank you so much for this report
Keep writing
Green cheers
Regards
Sus
Posted 15-03-2020 16:37
Hi Joon!
Yes absolutely, a common goal that has every country participating is a goal most achievable. Such this one in fact.
And you are most welcome!
Posted 10-09-2018 00:55
Hello Rosa, as you might have already known about the fact : more countries do participate, more it is likely to successfully achieve common and international goals within environmental problem issues.
Thanks for posting such a nice report up here, and it is true that Montreal Protocol 'publicly' is evaluated as one of the most 'successful' treaty and protocol aftermath.
Posted 09-09-2018 22:17
Hi Gyeongrin!
It's advancement is truely remarkable. And I am sure there will be such news related to other facets of the environment.
Thank you once again!
Posted 09-09-2018 02:20
Hello Rosa
The initiation of such vital protocols are important but it is more important that we be sure about the keeping of it and it is really nice to read that the Montreal protocol has done its job quite marvelously reducing the damage. I hope more news about well-kept protocols could be heard now and then.
Thanks for sharing :)
Posted 08-09-2018 20:21
@Israel
Thank you for your your comment. Indeed this treaty has significantly reduced the level of CFCs and HFCs in out atmosphere.
@Rohan
Yes, it is. And with more protocols such as these, global warming be reduced.
Thank you for your comment.
@Deepak
Yes, we must control depletion. Thank you for your comment.
Posted 08-09-2018 17:08
To stop global warming, we must control ozone layer depletion.
Posted 08-09-2018 16:22
Ozone layer protection is the key element of restricting global warming. Thanks for the post, Rosa.
Posted 08-09-2018 15:59
The establishment of Montreal protocol was a very effective move to reducing the ozone depletion.
Good job Rosa
Posted 08-09-2018 15:59