Montreal Protocol – The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone

layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone
depletion. In 1985 the Vienna Convention for the protection of the ozone layer formalized
international cooperation on this issue. This cooperation resulted in the signing of the Montreal
Protocol in 1987. It was agreed on 16 September 1987 and entered into force on 1 January 1989.
Montreal Protocol eliminated a significant contributor to climate change, avoiding a potential
additional global temperature increase of 0.5 to 1 degree Fahrenheit by 2100. The Montreal Protocol
is signed by 197 countries – the first treaty in the history of the United Nations to achieve universal
ratification and is considered by many the most successful environmental global action.

Results – Around 99% of ozone-depleting substances have been phased out and the protective layer
above earth is being replenished. The Antarctic ozone hole is expected to close by the 2060s, while
other regions will return to pre-1980s values even earlier. Every year an estimated two million
people are saved from skin cancer and there are broader benefits too, as many of the ozone-
depleting gases also drive up global temperatures.

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