The report below on the Montreal Protocol shows the international agreement deserves its reputation as most successful. It’s a crucial part of climate action.

It’s not there are no challenges. There are plenty of those.

But just look at the collaboration (based on science rather than politics) to overcome them — unedited:

Science has been the bedrock of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, the cornerstone of its success. From its inception, non-negotiated scientific assessments have informed decision-making that has helped to heal the Earth’s ozone layer. Widely recognized as the most successful multilateral environmental agreement in the world, the Protocol has still faced recent challenges to its effective implementation.At the 45th Meeting of Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (OEWG 45), delegates delved into the quadrennial reports prepared by the Scientific Assessment Panel (SAP), the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) and the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP). These reports informed delegates of findings related to the twin challenges of ozone depletion and climate change, and grounded delegates’ discussions on a number of issues of concern, including:

• illegal import/export of obsolete equipment;
• stratospheric aerosol injection, a proposed geoengineered solution for solar radiation management;
• adjustments to the freeze and phase-down levels established by the Protocol and its Kigali Amendment;
• emissions of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)-23;
• gaps in the global coverage of atmospheric monitoring of controlled substances; and
• very short-lived substances with ozone depleting potential.

Key quotes on the outlook for the the Montreal Protocol:

“It may take a combination of Thai serenity and Kenyan endurance to make progress on these key aspects of the agenda. Several delegations leaving the conference hall on Friday night agreed the debates in Bangkok demonstrated that the Montreal Protocol is worthy of all the accolades it receives. While the Protocol still faces challenges, it has the potential to further inspire others on how global diplomacy is done, ensuring this world stays a wonderful place to live for generations to come.”

The whole report is worth a read.

IISD