The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer

When did we realize ozone depletion was an issue, and how did we fix it? By 1985, the globe had already seen advancements in the scientific understanding of ozone depletion and its impacts on human health and the environment. It was then that the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was created in response. This agreement is a framework convention that lays out principles agreed upon by many parties. It does not, however, require countries to take control actions to protect the ozone layer. This would come later in the form of the Montreal Protocol.

The Vienna Convention was the first convention of any kind to be signed by every country involved, taking effect in 1988 and reaching universal ratification in 2009. This speaks to the enormity of ozone depletion at the time and the willingness of countries around the world to work together to solve it. The Convention aimed to promote cooperation among nations by exchanging information on the effects of human activities on the ozone layer. In doing so, the creators of the Convention hoped policymakers would adopt measures to combat those activities responsible for ozone depletion.

Today, the Vienna Convention is still making progress.The countries involved meet once every three years to make decisions on important issues including on Research and Systematic observations as well as financial and administrative matters.

Annex II : Trust Fund for the Vienna Convention: pledged contributions by Parties for 1992 and 1993

(in US Dollars)

COUNTRY

 ADJUSTED %AGE OF THE TOTAL 1992/3 BUDGET 1992 PROPOSED CONYTRIBUTION 1993 PROPOSED CONTRIBUTION
Argentina0.67%2,3455,855
Australia1.59%5,57813,928
Austria0.75%2,6296,565
Bahrain0.00%00
Bangladesh.0.00%00
Belgium1.18%4,15710,379
Brazil1.47%5,15212,863
Brunei Darussalam0.00%00
Bulgaria0.15%5331,331
Burkina Faso0.00%00
Byelorussian S. S. R.0.33%1,1722,927
Cameroon0.00%00
Canada3.12%10,97927,412
Chad0.00%00
Chile0.00%00
China0.80%2,8077,008
Colombia0.14%4971,242
Czechoslovakia0.67%2,3455,855
Denmark0.70%2,4526,121
Ecuador0.00%00
Egypt0.00%00
Equatorial Guinea0.00%00
Fiji0.00%00
Finland0.52%1,8124,524
France6.32%22,20655,444
Gambia0.00%00
Germany, F.R.9.46%33,25683,034
Ghana0.00%00
Greece0.40%1,4213,548
Guatemala0.00%00
Hungary0.21%7461,863
Iceland0.00%00
India0.37%1,3153,282
Iran0.70%2,4526,121
Ireland0.18%6401,597
Italy4.03%14,17735,396
Japan11.51%40,433100,953
Jordan0.00%00
Kenya0.00%00
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya0.28%9952,484
Liechtenstein0.00%00
Luxembourg0.00%00
Malawi0.00%00
Malaysia0.11%391976
Maldives0.00%00
Malta0.00%00
Mexico 0.95% 3,340 8,339
Morocco 0.00% 0 0
Netherlands 1.67% 5,862 14,637
New Zealand 0.24% 853 2,129
Nigeria 0.20% 711 1,774
Norway 0.56% 1,954 4,879
Panama 0.00% 0 0
Peru 0.00% 0 0
Poland 0.57% 1,990 4,968
Portugal 0.18% 640 1,597
Singapore 0.11% 391 976
South Africa 0.45% 1,599 3,992
Spain 1.97% 6,928 17,299
Sri Lanka 0.00% 0 0
Sweden 1.22% 4,299 10,734
Switzerland 1.09% 3,837 9,581
Syrian Arab Republic 0.00% 0 0
Thailand 0.10% 355 887
Togo 0.00% 0 0
Trinidad and Tobago 0.00% 0 0
Tunisia 0.00% 0 0
Uganda 0.00% 0 0
Ukrainian S.S.R. 1.26% 4,441 11,089
U.S.S.R. 10.10% 35,495 88,622
United Arab Emirates 0.19% 675 1,686
United Kingdom 4.91% 17,268 43,114
United States 25.00% 87,858 219,361
Uruguay 0.00% 0 0
Venezuela 0.58% 2,025 5,057
Yugoslavia 0.47% 1,634 4,081
Zambia 0.00% 0 0
EEC 2.50% 8,786 21,936
TOTAL 100.00% 351,430 877,445