Montreal Protocol Essay

Montreal Protocol
The 5 W’s (and How)
The high-altitude, or stratospheric ozone layer of the air acts like a shield in the atmosphere that protects life on Earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. During the 1980s, scientists observed that the stratospheric ozone layer was getting thinner thus they decided to take an action.

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances believed to be responsible for ozone depletion. The treaty was opened for signature on September 16, 1987, and entered into force on January 1, 1989, at Montreal by 25 nations. First meeting in Helsinki, May 1989. Since then, it has undergone seven revisions, in 1990 (London), 1991 (Nairobi), 1992 (Copenhagen), 1993 (Bangkok), 1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), and 1999 (Beijing). As of September 16, 2009, all countries in the United Nations, the Cook Islands, Holy See, Niue and the supranational European Union have ratified the original Montreal Protocol, Timor-Leste being the last country to ratify the agreement, bringing the total to 196. It is believed that if the international agreement is adhered to, the ozone layer is expected to recover by 2050.
The protocol set limits on the production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, and related substances that release chlorine or bromine to the ozone layer of the atmosphere.

"Montreal Protocol." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Sept. 2012. Web. 14 Sept. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Protocol>.
"Montreal Protocol." Montreal Protocol. Credoreference.com, 2008. Web. 14 Sept. 2012. <http://www.credoreference.com/topic/montreal_protocol>.
"1987-2007: The 20th Anniversary of the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer | Ozone Layer Protection | US