September 16: Commemorating the 31st anniversary of the Montreal Protocol
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed on 16 September 1987 in Montreal City, Canada. It is a protocol to the Vienna Convention.
It has been touted as one of the most successful international treaties in the world. It is the first and only treaty to have been ratified by every nation on Earth.
Thanks to the protocol the ozone layer has been recovering across the years.
Today the 16th of September we are celebrating the 31st anniversary of the Montreal protocol.
Why was the protocol necessary?
A research done in 1974 by Mario Molina and Sherwood Rowland postulated that chlorofluorocarbons were depleting the ozone layer.
Chlorofluorocarbons were being widely used in aerosol sprays, solvents and refrigerants.
In 1985, a big hole was discovered in the ozone layer over Antarctica. The hole was so big that scientists thought their instruments were faulty. This corroborated the work of Mario and Sherwood.
These prompted the Vienna convention which laid the groundwork for the Montreal protocol.
Initially, the agreement was to regulate the production and consumption of certain CFCs and halons.
The Montreal protocol was signed to check the damage of CFCs and halons to the ozone layer.
The copy of the protocol can be found here
Why is the ozone layer important anyway?
The stratospheric ozone layer shields us from the deadly UV radiation from the sun.
UV rays can increase the risk of skin cancer and cataracts. It can also damage terrestrial plant life.
The Montreal Protocol?s Kigali Amendment
Delegates from around the world negotiated a timeline to completely phase down the use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons in Kigali, Rwanda. This deal outlined specific deadlines and target to be met by all countries.
Phasing down of HCFCs is also helping combat climate change.
References
PS: This post was first published on Tunza Ecogeneration website. Tunza Ecogeneration is a CSR initiative by Samsung Engineering and UNEP in which I represent Kenya.
