The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is a global agreement to protect the Earth’s ozone layer by phasing out the chemicals that deplete it. This phase-out plan includes both the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. The landmark agreement was signed in 1987 and entered into force in 1989.

The parties to the Protocol meet once a year to make decisions aimed at ensuring the successful implementation of the agreement. These include adjusting or amending the Protocol, which has been done six times since its creation. The most recent amendment, the Kigali Amendment, called for the phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in 2016. These HFCs were used as replacements for a batch of ozone-depleting substances eliminated by the original Montreal Protocol. Although they do not deplete the ozone layer, they are known to be powerful greenhouse gases and, thus, contributors to climate change.

The Montreal Protocol provided a set of practical, actionable tasks that were universally agreed on. The Protocol has successfully met its objectives thus far and continues to safeguard the ozone layer today. Thanks to the collaborative effort of nations around the world, the ozone layer is well on its way to recovery.

Decision XV/53: Terms of reference for the Scientific Assessment Panel, the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel and the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel

The Fifteenth Meeting of the Parties decided in Dec. XV/53:

  1. To note with appreciation the excellent and highly useful work conducted by the Scientific Assessment Panel, the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel and the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel and their colleagues worldwide in preparing their 2002 reports, including the 2003 synthesis report;
  2. To request the three assessment panels to update their 2002 reports in 2006 and submit them to the Secretariat by 31 December 2006 for consideration by the Open-ended Working Group and by the Nineteenth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, in 2007;
  3. To request the assessment panels to keep the Parties to the Montreal Protocol informed of any important new developments on a year-to-year basis;
  4. That, for the 2006 report, the Scientific Assessment Panel should consider issues including:
    1. Assessment of the state of the ozone layer and its expected recovery;
    2. Evaluation of specific aspects of recent annual Antarctic ozone holes, in particular the hole that occurred in 2002;
    3. Evaluation of the trends in the concentration of ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere and their consistency with reported production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances;
    4. Assessment of the impacts of climate change on ozone-layer recovery;
    5. Analysis of atmospheric concentrations of bromine and the likely quantitative implications of the results on the state of the ozone layer;
    6. Description and interpretation of the observed changes in global and polar ozone and in ultraviolet radiation, as well as set future projections and scenarios for those variables, taking also into account the expected impacts of climate change;
  5. That, for the 2006 report, the Environmental Effects Panel should continue identifying the environmental impacts of ozone depletion and the environmental impacts of the interaction of ozone depletion and climate change;
  6. That the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel should, among other matters, consider the following topics:
    1. Significance of the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances for sustainable development, particularly in Article 5 countries and countries with economies in transition;
    2. Technical progress in all sectors;
    3. Technically and economically feasible choices for the elimination of ozone-depleting substances by the use of alternatives that have superior environmental performance with regard to climate change, human health and sustainability;
    4. Technical progress on the recovery, reuse and destruction of ozone-depleting substances;
    5. Accounting of the production and use of ozone-depleting substances and of ozone-depleting substances in inventory or contained in products.