Montreal Protocol: what it is, participating countries and objectives

He Montreal Protocol It is an international environmental agreement whose main foundation is based on the protection of the ozone layer. Its negotiation and drafting began on September 16, 1987 in the Canadian city of Montreal, following the previous celebration of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (signed by 28 countries, March 22, 1985).

Focused on eliminating emissions ozone depleting substances (SACO) generated worldwide, the Montreal Protocol proposes different objectives to achieve a reduction in the production and consumption of said SACO substances, until reaching their partial or total elimination.

To delve deeper into the relevance of this protocol and the environmental situation for which it was created, we recommend that you read this other article from Evidence Network about Why the ozone layer is so important and this other about the Destruction of the ozone layer: definition, causes and consequences.

In the next sections of this article we will learn about the countries that signed the Montreal Protocol and we will delve into the ecological, political and social principles of said protocol.

Environmental leaders and government officials 197 countries that signed the Montreal Protocolmet in the Canadian city to analyze and propose different measures that guarantee the ozone layer protectionas well as the greenhouse gas reductionone of the main causes of global warming of the Earth.

Both the countries of the European Union and the Member States of Micronesia, as well as the member countries of the United Nations, were the participants in this important protocol. Each and every one of them joined their efforts, initiatives and ambitions focused on compliance with the different principles of the Montreal Protocol that we detail in the following section.

He main objective of the Montreal Protocolas we have already indicated before, is the ozone layer protection. To this end, measures were proposed in order to optimally and efficiently control the total global production of the different substances that deplete the ozone layer, that is, they intervene negatively in its maintenance and conservation.

Using the most advanced scientific knowledge and technological information, the measures established in the Montreal Protocol were structured according to the nature and characteristics of various groups of ozone depleting substances. These groups of chemical substances were classified and listed in the annexes to the text drafted by the Montreal Protocol. In this way, it was required control of the production and consumption of almost 100 chemical substancesfor whose gradual elimination, this protocol established a specific calendar.

The application of the objectives of the Montreal Protocol was progressing satisfactorily in both developed and developing countries. The schedules for the elimination of chemicals that deplete the ozone layer were respected in the vast majority of cases, some even before the planned schedule, although others have not reached the expected rate of compliance. Due to the constant progress that characterized the Montreal Protocol, already in 2003, it was considered by many experts as “the most successful international agreement to date”, thus becoming both the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol, the first treaties and protocols in the history of the United Nations to achieve universal ratification.

Subsequently, in November 2017, the last of the Montreal Protocol measures was added, the so-called Kigali amendment, with the aim of reducing both the production and consumption of the so-called hydrofluorocarbon gases (HFC) and its products, generated mainly in air conditioners and refrigerators. This amendment came into force on January 1, 2019, specifically proposing the reduction of said HFC gases to 80%, thus avoiding the emission into the atmosphere of around 70 million tons of CO2 equivalent, between the years 2020 and 2050.

To give you an idea of ​​how you can individually contribute to the preservation of this vital layer on our planet, you can consult this other post on How to care for the ozone layer and watch this video from our YouTube channel.

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