The Montreal Protocol, which was
originally established in 1987, was created as a result of the finding of the
ozone hole over Antarctica by Rowland and Molina. They discovered that chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) were the culprit of the ozone depletion.
The Montreal Protocol was to end the production of substances that
deplete ozone, which included the phasing out of CFCs. In 1990 almost all developed and developing
countries came together to join the global treaty of the Montreal Protocol,
known formally as the London Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.
This treaty has been very
effective especially due to the fact that it has instated a ten year phase out
of CFCs by developing countries, made possible through the Multilateral Fund by
the developed countries with insufficient funds for transitions. The Montreal Protocol is also trying to phase
out and curb more chemicals that are depleting the ozone layer of our
atmosphere. Due to all of these
enforcements of the Montreal Protocol, and the fact that it was agreed to by so
many countries around the world, by 2009 CFC emissions were almost zero. CFCs and HFCs, though they deplete the ozone,
are also heat trapping pollutants. The
phasing out of these chemicals has led to a greater slowing of climate change.
On the other hand we have the
Kyoto Protocol. While the Montreal
Protocol was established to phase out substances that deplete ozone, the Kyoto
Protocol was set in place to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases, with the
exception to ozone depleting substances.
The Kyoto Protocol, established later than the Montreal Protocol, calls
for the global reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which
has been heightened greatly by car exhaust throughout the years. The reduction of CO2 has been
significantly smaller per year in comparison to how quickly CFCs were phased
out. There have been more
controversies between countries, developed and developing, that has slowed the
reduction of greenhouse gases.
Solomon, Susan and
Chanin, Marie-Lise. 2011. The Antarctic Ozone Hole: A Unique Example of the Science
and Policy Interface. Science Diplomacy. 189-195.
Doniger,
David. "The world's governments saved the ozone layer. They can save the
climate too. | David Doniger - China Dialogue ." China Dialogue - China and the
world discuss the Environment .
N.p., 11 June 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/5295-The-world-s-governments-saved-the-ozone-layer-They-can-save-the-climate-too->.
TakePart is an online source of information from things to news and entertainment. They have articles on environment, wildlife, health, and food. In the environment category they have articles such as 'Don't panic, But Carbon Dioxide Levels are the Highest They're Been in Human History' and 'Climate Change could Bring an End to Surfing's Endless Summer'. Other than these articles there is a film campaign that they have as well. Although An Inconvenient Truth is one of the films that they have there is another called "Climate of Change". This documentary focuses on the efforts of people around the world against global warming from India middle schools to Papua New Guineans.
