The Montreal Protocol, officially the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer, is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. It was agreed on 16 September 1987, and entered into force on 1 January 1989. Since then it has undergone several amendments and adjustments, with revisions agreed to in 1990 (London), 1992 (Copenhagen), 1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), 1999 (Beijing), 2007 (Montreal), 2016 (Kigali) and 2018 (Quito). The Montreal Protocol has been ratified by 198 parties (197 states and the European Union), making it the first universally ratified treaty in United Nations history. Due to its widespread adoption and implementation, it has been hailed as an example of successful international co-operation. Former United Nations (UN) secretary-general Kofi Annan stated that "perhaps the single most successful international agreement to date has been the Montreal Protocol". As a result of the Protocol, the ozone hole over Antarctica is slowly recovering. Climate projections indicate that the ozone layer will return to 1980 levels between 2040 across much of the world and 2066 over Antarctica.
Terms and purposes The terms of the Montreal Protocol establish control measures, timelines, assessment and review, data reporting, methods of dealing with non-compliance, and measures to assist developing countries with compliance. Timelines to phase out production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) covered by the Protocol are grouped by type. Specific ODS compounds belonging to each group are defined in the annexures to the Protocol. Article 5 of the Protocol creates separate obligations for developing countries, allowing additional time to achieve compliance with the Protocol's control measures. Article 10 of the Protocol establishes a financial mechanism to help those countries achieve compliance.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) Phase-out Management Plan The purpose of the Protocol is that each signatory states:
Recognizing that worldwide emissions of certain substances can significantly deplete and otherwise modify the ozone layer in a manner that is likely to result in adverse effects on human health and the environment. Determined to protect the ozone layer by taking precautionary measures to control equitably total global emissions of substances that deplete it with the ultimate objective of their elimination on the basis of developments in scientific knowledge Acknowledging that special provision is required to meet the needs of developing countries shall accept a series of stepped limits on CFC use and production, including:
The substances in Group I of Annex A are:
CFCl3 (CFC-11) CF2Cl2 (CFC-12) C2F3Cl3 (CFC-113) C2F4Cl2 (CFC-114) C2F5Cl (CFC-115) For this group, production and consumption in non-Article 5 Parties was frozen (at a 1986 base level) on July 1, 1989, with 75% phasedown by 1994 and complete phase-out by 1996. For Article 5 Parties, consumption and production was frozen (at a base level of the average of 1995–97 amounts), followed by a 50% phasedown by 2005, an 85% phasedown by 2007, and 100% phase-out by 2010. Some chemicals were given individual attention (Carbon tetrachloride; 1,1,1-trichloroethane). The phasing-out of the less damaging HCFCs only began in 1996 and will go on until a complete phasing-out is achieved by 2030. Production and consumption levels of Annex A - Group II Halons (halon-1211, -2404, and -1301) in non-Article 5 Parties was frozen (at a 1986 base level) on January 1, 1992, with complete phase-out by 1994. For Article 5 Parties, production and consumption were frozen (at a base level of the average of 1995–97 amounts) on January 1, 2002, followed by a 50% phasedown by 2005 and complete phase-out by 2010. The phasedown and phase-out schedules include a few exceptions for "essential uses" where no acceptable substitutes were initially found (for example, metered dose inhalers commonly used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were previously exempt). Another exception was made for Halon fire suppression systems used in submarines and aircraft (but not in general industry). The provisions of the Protocol include the requirement that the Parties to the Protocol base their future decisions on the current scientific, environmental, technical, and economic information that is assessed through panels drawn from the worldwide expert communities. To provide that input to the decision-making process, advances in understanding on these topics were assessed in 1989, 1991, 1994, 1998 and 2002 in a series of reports entitled Scientific assessment of ozone depletion, by the Scientific Assessment Panel (SAP). In 1990, the Parties to the Montreal Protocol established a Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) as a technology and economics advisory body. The TEAP provides, at the request of Parties, technical information related to alternative technologies that have made it possible to virtually eliminate the use of ODSs that harm the ozone layer. The TEAP is also tasked by the Parties every year to assess and evaluate various technical issues, including evaluating nominations for essential use exemptions for CFCs and halons, and nominations for critical use exemptions for methyl bromide. TEAP's annual reports are a basis for the Parties' informed decision-making. Numerous reports have been published by various inter-governmental, governmental and non-governmental organizations to catalogue and assess alternatives to the ozone depleting substances, since the substances have been used in various technical sectors, like in refrigeration, air conditioning, flexible and rigid foam, fire protection, aerospace, electronics, agriculture, and laboratory measurements.
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