9/16/2011 - Ninety seven
per cent of all ozone depleting substances
controlled by the global treaty known as
the Montreal Protocol have been phased out
New UNEP documentary examines its status
Paris, 16 September
2011 - The ozone hole is back in the news.
In August the World Meteorological Organization
(WMO) reported that signs of ozone depletion
were again appearing over the Antarctic.
A few months earlier, the Antarctic ozone
hole was making headlines as scientists
found that it was "creating rainfall
in subtropical regions".
The problem of the ozone
hole was supposed to be solved, wasn't it?
In fact, the closing
of the hole in the world's stratospheric
ozone layer is still many decades away and
the effects and interactions of ozone depletion
on climate change are just starting to be
understood.
For these reasons, the
OzonAction Programme of the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) decided to
embark on an investigative journey through
the history and science of the ozone layer,
the actions taken to address this major
environmental threat and the consequences
both for the ozone layer and the Earth's
climate system.
The resulting documentary,
The Antarctic Ozone Hole: From Discovery
to Recovery, examines the current state
of the ozone layer, the effects of ozone
depletion on climate change and the potential
impact on communities worldwide.
Thid scientific journey,
which had a worldwide screening today to
mark the International Day for the Preservation
of the Ozone Layer, is not a portrait of
a planet in crisis but rather has experts
from NASA, the British Antarctic Survey,
Colombia University and other leading ozone
researchers who offer hope and solutions
to reducing ozone depletion. Indeed, they
show that the Montreal Protocol, which covers
ozone depleting substances (ODS), can deliver
immediate climate benefits.
"The Montreal Protocol
is a great example of what can be accomplished
if nations, industry, technologists and
scientists all combine to work on a problem,"
said Paul Newman from NASA's Goddard Space
Flight Center.
One hundred and ninety-six
countries have signed the Montreal Protocol,
making it the first treaty of any kind to
achieve universal ratification. All the
world's governments are now legally obligated
to phase out ODS under the schedules defined
by the Protocol.
"The Montreal Protocol
started off with baby steps. The countries
took a decision and based on science, they
changed the decisions. There were many amendments
and adjustments, which finally made it so
successful. There may be a lesson in that
for the climate negotiations and climate
decisions, too," said A.R Ravishankara
from NOAA.
The International Day
for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
or ("Ozone Day"), is an official
UN day commemorating the date in 1987 on
when the Montreal Protocol on Substances
that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed.
Screenings of the film include a launch
in Nairobi where UNEP has its headquarters,
and at the Biosphère Environment
Museum in Montreal, the city where the Protocol
was signed. The video is available in English
and French at
http://www.unep.org/ozonaction/antarctic
The international version
will be provided to National Ozone Units
for translation into local languages upon
request. The narration of the French version
is by Elisa Sednaoui, a young Franco-Italian
actress and model.
Note to Editors:
About the Montreal Protocol
The Montreal Protocol
focuses on the protection of the earth's
ozone layer. This treaty has enabled both
developed and developing countries to achieve
a near total phase-out in the production
and use of most ozone depleting substances.
Because the majority
of ozone depleting substances are also potent
global warming gasses, the actions taken
under the Montreal Protocol have contributed
significantly to the global effort to address
climate change.
Interesting facts about
the Montreal Protocol
The Montreal Protocol
has achieved universal participation by
all states in the world, the number of participating
States is 196, an achievement unprecedented
by any treaty;
It is estimated that
without the Protocol, by the year 2050 ozone
depletion would have risen to at least 50%
in the northern hemisphere's mid latitudes
and 70% in the southern mid latitudes, about
10 times worse than current levels;
The Montreal Protocol
is estimated to have prevented:
-19 million more cases
of non-melanoma cancer
-1.5 million more cases
of melanoma cancer
-130 million more cases
of eye cataracts
Ninety seven per cent
of all ozone depleting substances controlled
by the global treaty known as the Montreal
Protocol have been phased out - but what
remains is still a challenge to eliminate;
Global observations
have verified that atmospheric levels of
key ozone depleting substances are going
down and it is believed that with implementation
of the Protocol's provisions the ozone layer
should return to pre-1980 levels by 2050
to 2075;
In 2003, political recognition
of the Protocol came in the statement of
then United Nations Secretary General Kofi
Annan, who termed the Montreal Protocol
"perhaps the single most successful
international environmental agreement to
date".
The Ozone Layer
The Ozone layer protects
the earth's inhabitants from harmful UV
radiation and is essential for life on Earth,
as it screens out lethal UV-B radiation.
Increased UV-B from ozone depletion can
lead to:
More melanoma and non-melanoma
skin-cancers
More eye cataracts
Weakened immune systems
- this may contribute to viral reactivation
and a reduction of effectiveness of vaccines
Reduced plant yields,
changes in plant growth and form
Damage to ocean eco-systems
and reduced fishing yields
Damage to wood and plastics
About UNEP DTIE's OzonAction
Branch:
The OzonAction Branch of UNEP's Division
of Technology, Industry and Economics is
based in Paris and assists developing countries
to meet and sustain their compliance obligations
under the Montreal Protocol. With this programme's
assistance, countries are able to make informed
decisions about alternative technologies
and ozone-friendly policies. With support
from the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation
of the Montreal Protocol, the Branch has
implemented more than 1000 projects and
services, benefitting more than 100 developing
countries plus other services that assist
another 40 developing countries.
Please see: www.unep.org/ozonaction
About The Secretariat
The Ozone Secretariat
is the Secretariat for the Vienna Convention
for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and
for the Montreal Protocol on Substances
that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
Based at the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) offices
in Nairobi (Kenya), the Secretariat's main
duties include arranging for and servicing
all the meetings related to the Convention
and the Protocol, arranging for the implementation
of decisions taken by the Governments, monitoring
and reporting on the implementation of the
treaties, collecting and analysing data
on controlled ozone-depleting substances,
representing the treaties in relevant international
and regional meetings and providing information
to governments, international organizations
and individuals on various aspects of the
protection of the ozone layer.
+ More
Aviation Takes Action
on Ozone and Climate Protection
9/16/2011 - The International
Civil Aviation Organization announced the
phasing out of halons in fire extinguishers
on aircraft.
Montreal, 16 September 2011 At their working
group meeting last month, the Parties to
the Montreal Protocol on Substances that
Deplete the Ozone Layer heard from the Protocol's
Halons Technical Options Committee (HTOC)
and the International Civil Aviation Organization
(ICAO) on yet another successful step in
phasing out halons in fire extinguishers
on aircraft.
Halons are among the
most potent destroyers of the stratospheric
ozone layer and are also potent greenhouse
gases. Phasing out halons used in fire extinguishers
on aircraft has been a difficult challenge
because of their effectiveness in fire fighting
that in turn helps to increase the safety
of passengers. However, in 2003 the Parties
to the Montreal Protocol asked the Ozone
Secretariat of the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) and its technical experts
to begin to work with ICAO to look into
the possibility of modifying the regulatory
requirements that mandate the use of halons
on new aircraft without compromising the
health and safety of airline passengers.
Thanks to the assistance
of the Halon Technical Option Committee
(HTOC), ICAO has amended two of its technical
Annexes containing standards related to
aircraft operations and airworthiness. Both
Annex 6 - Operation of Aircraft - and Annex
8 - Airworthiness of Aircraft - have been
amended to include a related environmental
requirement.
"This was a landmark
agreement that resulted from successful
collaboration between two multilateral agreements,
one for ozone protection and the other for
international aviation. The Parties to the
Montreal Protocol have been focusing their
attention on enhancing collaboration and
synergies with other international agreements
and regimes. The Parties can be proud that
the Montreal Protocol has again managed
to contribute to both ozone and climate
protection, this time through synergy in
civil aviation sector, said Marco Gonzalez,
the Executive Secretary of the Ozone Secretariat.
"The agreement
to phase out halons was another step forward
by the Organization to further strengthen
the ability to minimize the impact of air
transport operations on the environment.
The assistance of the HTOC and UNEP to reach
this agreement was instrumental in realizing
this achievement, and we look forward to
continuing this important inter-agency cooperation
to better serve the international community,"
said ICAO's Secretary General, Raymond Benjamin.
"The progress made
by ICAO is important for the ozone layer
protection. It is also significant as it
demonstrates the commitment of ICAO to the
environmental protection. For the first
time an operative annex to the Chicago Convention
was changed to respond to an environmental
concern. This is a win-win for the ozone
layer and civil aviation. The United States
congratulates the HTOC, ICAO and the Ozone
Secretariat, said Cindy Newberg, Chief of
the Alternatives and Emissions Reduction
Branch of the US Environmental Protection
Agency (USEPA).
ICAO will continue to
monitor the research and development of
halon alternatives to ensure that the target
dates can be met and will follow up on research
into a viable halon alternative for cargo
area fire extinguishing systems.
"We note that there
is still much to be done to make sure that
alternatives are identified and can be effectively
used, to develop a viable path forward for
cargo bays, and ensure that it does not
become necessary to pursue use of the essential
use provisions to support civil aviation
on-going needs. We encourage the HTOC and
Ozone Secretariat to continue to work with
ICAO," added Ms. Newberg.
"[We] would like
to thank the HTOC in particular for its
ongoing work with ICAO bodies in supporting
the reductions in mandating the use of halons
in new air frames. We would also like to
thank the ICAO Secretariat for facilitating
this excellent outcome and can agree that
HTOC can continue its work as needed with
ICAO bodies," said Annie Gabriel from
the Department of Sustainability, Environment,
Water, Population and Communities of Australia.
Notes to Editors:
Nearly three decades
ago, atmospheric scientists warned that
the annual appearance of the Antarctic ozone
hole and the probability of increasing depletion
of the stratospheric ozone layer had serious
consequences for all life forms. This came
after discoveries in the mid-1970s that
some man-made chemicals could destroy ozone,
resulting in increased ultraviolet radiation
reaching the Earth.
Although ozone is a
small component of the atmosphere, the ozone
layer plays a vital role in shielding life
on Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV-B)
radiation from the sun. Human exposure to
UV-B is known to increase the risk of skin
cancer, cataracts, and a suppressed immune
system. UV-B exposure can also damage terrestrial
plant life, single-cell organisms and aquatic
ecosystems.
The evidence that human
activities were destroying the stratospheric
ozone layer was compelling. Emissions of
certain man-made chemicals used in many
products such as the halons used as fire
extinguishants in aircraft were reaching
the stratosphere, between 10-16 kilometres
and up to 50 kilometres above the Earth's
surface, and destroying ozone molecules.
With the appearance of the ozone hole, many
countries joined efforts for the first time
to combat this global environmental threat.
All countries of the world have ratified
the landmark international environmental
treaty, the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances
that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Parties to
the Montreal Protocol are committed to eliminating
production of ozone-depleting substances
by meeting specific phase-out deadlines.
ICAO is specialized
agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created
in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly
development of international civil aviation
throughout the world. It sets standards
and regulations necessary for aviation safety,
security, efficiency and regularity, as
well as for aviation environmental protection.
The Organization serves as the forum for
cooperation in all fields of civil aviation
among its 190 Member States.
For free broadcast-quality multimedia supporting
this press release, please visit http://www.thenewsmarket.com/UNEP.
If you are a first-time user, please take
a moment to register. In case you have any
questions, please email journalisthelp@thenewsmarket.com."
