World Ozone Day 2020

Why in news?

• September 16 was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
• This designation had been made on December 19, 2000, in commemoration of the date, in 1987, on which nations signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

The theme for World Ozone Day 2020

• The theme for World Ozone Day 2020 is ‘Ozone for life’.

What is Montreal protocol?

• It is a global agreement to protect the stratospheric ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODS).
• Signed 16 September 1987, it was made pursuant to the 1985 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, which established the framework for international cooperation in addressing ozone depletion.
• The treaty is structured around several groups of halogenated hydrocarbons (eg; Chlorofluorocarbons) that deplete stratospheric ozone.
• All of the ozone depleting substances controlled by the Montreal Protocol contain either chlorine or bromine.
• Substances containing only fluorine do not harm the ozone layer.

Success of Montreal protocol:

• The Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol have each been ratified by 196 nations and the European Union), making them the first universally ratified treaties in United Nations history
• As a result of the international agreement, the ozone hole in Antarctica is slowly recovering.
• Climate projections indicate that the ozone layer will return to 1980 levels between 2050 and 2070.
• The Montreal Protocol's success is attributed to its effective burden sharing and solution proposals.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding “Vienna convention” and “Montreal Protocol”:
1.They are the first universally ratified UN treaties.
2.It primarily addresses depletion of stratospheric Ozone.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

 Answer to prelims question