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 III: Trust Fund for the Vienna Convention: status of contributions by Parties in 1990 and 1991

(31 MAY 1991)

COUNTRY 1990 1991
AGREED CONTTIBUTIONS IN US DOLLARS PAYMENTS MADE IN US DOLLARS OUTSTANDING PAYMENTS IN US DOLLARS AGREED CONTTIBUTIONS IN US DOLLARS PAYMENTS MADE IN US DOLLARS OUTSTANDING PAYMENTS IN US DOLLARS
               
Argentina 1,544 0 1,544 3,649 0 3,649
Australia 5,229 5,229 0 8,680 0 8,680
Austria 2,465 2,465 0 4,091 0 4,091
Bahrain 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bangladesh 0 0 0 0 0 0
Belgium 3,897 3,897 0 6,468 0 6,468
Brazil 2,600 2,600 2,600 8,015 0 8,015
Brunei Darussalam 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bulgaria** 0 0 0 726 0 726
Burkina Faso 0 0 0 0 0 0
Byelorussian S S R 1,099 1,099 0 1,824 0 1,824
Cameroon 0 0 0 0 0 0
Canada 10,292 10,292 0 17,083 0 17,083
Chad 0 0 0 0 0 0
Chile 0 0 0 0 0 0
China 2,269 2,269 0 3,767 0 3,767
Colombia* 117 117 117 774 0 774
Czechoslovakia 0 0 0 3,649 0 3,649
Denmark 2,298 2,298 2,298 3,815 0 3,815
Ecuador 0 0 0 0 0 0
Egypt 0 0 0 0 0 0
Equatorial Guinea 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fiji 0 0 0 0 0 0
Finaland 1,699 1,699 0 2,820 0 2,820
France 20,816 20,816 0 34,554 0 34,554
Gambia 0 0 0 0 0 0
Germany, F.R.*** 31,174 31,174 0 44,671 44,671 44,671
Ghana 0 0 0 0 0 0
Greece 1,332 1,332 0 2,211 0 2,211
Guatemala 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hungary 699 699 0 1,161 0 1,161
Iceland 0 0 0 0 0 0
India** 0 0 0 1,108 0 1,108
Iran 0 0 0 3,815 0 3,815
Ireland 600 600 0 995 995 995
Italy 13,289 13,289 13.289 22,059 0 22,059
Japan 37,903 37,903 0 62,916 0 62,916
Jordan 0 0 0 0 0 0
Kenya 0 0 0 0 0 0
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya* 233 233 233 1,548 0 1,548
Liechtenstein 500 500 0 500 500 500
Luxembourg 0 0 0 0 0 0
Malawi 0 0 0 0 0 0
Malaysia 316 316 316 525 0 525
Maldives 0 0 0 0 0 0
Malta 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mexico 3,131 3,131 3,131 5,197 0 5,197
Morocco 0 0 0 0 0 0
Netherlands 5,496 5,496 0 9,122 9,122 9,122
New Zealand 799 799 0 1,327 0 1,327
Nigeria 666 666 666 1,106 0 1,106
Norway 1,832 1,832 0 3,041 3,041 3,041
Panama 0 0 0 0 0 0
Peru 0 0 0 0 0 0
Poland 830 830 0 3,096 0 3,096
Portugal 600 600 600 995 0 995
Sweden 4,030 4,030 0 6,690 0 6,690
Singapore 366 366 0 608 0 608
South Africa 1,292 1,292 0 2,488 0 2,488
Spain 6,495 6,495 6,495 10,781 0 10,781
Sri Lanka 0 0 0 0 0 0
Switzerland 3,597 3,597 0 5,971 0 5,971
Syrian Arab Republic 0 0 0 0 0 0
Thailand 287 287 0 477 0 477
Togo 0 0 0 0 0 0
Trinidad and Tobago 0 0 0 0 0 0
Tunisia 0 0 0 0 0 0
Uganda 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ukrainian S S R 4,163 4,163 0 6,911 0 6,911
U S S R 33,273 33,273 0 55,231 0 55,231
United Arab Emirates 546 546 546 906 0 906
United Kingdom 16,187 16,187 0 26,869 26,869 0
United States 74,250 60,000 14,250 123,250 60,000 63,250
Uruguay 0 0 0 0 0 0
Venezuela 1,898 1,898 0 3,151 2,055 1,096
Yugoslavia 710 0 710 2,543 0 2,543
Zambia 0 0 0 0 0 0
EEC 7,425 7 425 0 12,325 12,325 0
TOTAL 308, 244 261,449 46,795 523,509 159,578 363,931

NB: (*) New Parties who ratified during 1990.

(**) New Parties who ratified during 1991 and their contributions have been calculated on a prorata basis for remaining period.

(***) The GDR's contributions and the FRG's contributions have been combined. The 1990 figure is comprised of $4,263 plus $26,911, whereas the 1991 figure is comprised of $0 and $44,671.