The Montreal Protocol, is an international treaty, adopted in Montreal in 1987, that aimed to regulate the production and use of substances that contribute to ozone depletion.

Achievements of the Montreal Protocol

• Truly global participation: In 2009, the Montreal Protocol became the first UN treaty to achieve universal ratification, demonstrating the world’s commitment to ozone protection, and global environmental protection.
• Healing the ozone layer: Global observations have verified that atmospheric levels of key Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) 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 the middle of this century.
• Supporting developing countries: With the assistance of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol, developing countries had, by mid 2010, permanently phased out over 270,000 tonnes of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) that had been used to produce various products and have eliminated virtually all of their production of CFCs and halons.
• High rates of compliance: Taking into account all the Parties and all their phase-out commitments, the Parties to the Montreal Protocol have achieved a compliance rate of over 98%. Further, in the process of phasing-out, many countries, both developed and developing, have met their phase-out targets well ahead of the schedule.
• 2010 phase-out milestone: 1 January 2010 was the date by which all the Parties phased-out the consumption and production of chlorofluorocarbons, halons, carbon tetrachloride and other fully hydrogenated Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS).

Thus, the Montreal Protocol has indeed been successful in protecting the ozone layer. The reasons behind the success of the Montreal Protocol can be attributed to following factors which are generally absent in other environmental treaties:

• Cooperative approach: Much negotiation was held in small, informal groups leading to a genuine exchange of views amongst credible people.
• Principles based: The “precautionary principle and the concept of common, but differentiated, responsibility (CBDR) took root in the Montreal Protocol when developing countries were given longer time to phase-out ODS.
• Flexibility to accommodate newer information: The protocol could be amended to include stricter controls ie. more Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) were added to the control list and ensure total phase out, rather than partial phase-out.
• Trade Provisions and restrictions: These limited the supplies of CFCs and other Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) to non-signatories which forced them to ratify the Protocol.
• Clear List of Targeted Sectors: Clear articulation of chemicals and sectors allowed governments to prioritise the main sectors early.
• Institutional Support: An expert and independent Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (and its predecessors) helped signatories reach solid and timely decisions on often- complex matters.
• Compliance Procedure: It prioritised helping wayward countries back into compliance. If necessary, resources from the Multilateral Fund are available for some short-term projects.

Thus, the flexible and agile approach to the Montreal Protocol helped it become successful, which is also evident from the Kigali Agreement, which amended the Montreal Protocol to also include phasing out Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as one of aims of the Protocol.