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Global cooperation for the protection of the stratospheric ozone layer began with the negotiation
of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, which concluded in 1985. The
details of the international agreement were defined in the Montreal Protocol on Substances that
Deplete the Ozone Layer. The Montreal Protocol was signed in September 1987 and became
effective in 1989. It contains provisions for regular review of the adequacy of control measures
that are based on assessments of evolving scientific, environmental, technical, and economic
information.
At a meeting in London in 1990, the Parties to the Montreal Protocol agreed to a phase out of
controlled substances. Another meeting of the Parties held in Copenhagen in 1992 accelerated
the phaseout schedules of the controlled substances. Controlled substances include CFCs,
halons, carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform, HCFCs, HBFCs, and methyl bromide.
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CFC Phaseout Schedules: Allowed Production
and Consumption for Developed Countries
(percent of baseline) |
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| 1987
Original Montreal Protocol
| 1990
London Montreal Protocol
| 1992
Copenhagen Montreal Protocol
| 1990
U.S. Clean Air Act Amendments
| 1994
European Community Schedule
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1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000 |
100%
100%
100%
80%
80%
80%
80%
80%
80%
50%
50% |
100%
100%
80%
80%
50%
50%
15%
15%
15%
0% |
25%
25%
0%
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85%
80%
75%
25%
25%
0%
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50%
15%
0%
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In addition to the Montreal Protocol, other bodies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency and the European Community have imposed still more strict regulations and phaseout
schedules. The table to the left outlines the phaseout schedule for CFCs under the different
iterations of the Montreal Protocol as well as other U.S. and European regulations. All timetables
are for developed countries; developing countries have an additional ten years to reach
compliance.
Current Provisions of the Montreal Protocol
Changes were made to the Montreal Protocol at a meeting of the Parties in Vienna in 1995. In
developed countries, CFC phase out had been mandated for 1 January 1996 at the Copenhagen
meeting (held in 1992). Halons had been required to be totally phased out by 1 January 1994,
and carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloroform by 1 January 1996. The developing countries
can continue to produce and purchase CFCs and carbon tetrachloride for use until 2010 and
methyl chloroform until 2015. Developed nations can continue to produce CFCs up to 15% of
their 1986 baseline to help developing countries meet their domestic needs and for essential uses
such as medical devices.
The Copenhagen Amendments had called for a freeze of HCFC production in 1996 in developed
countries to a baseline level calculated for each Party using the formula: 3.1% of ODP weighted
CFC consumption in 1989, plus 100% of ODP weighted HCFC consumption in 1989. The 3.1%
cap was changed to 2.8% during the 1995 Vienna meeting. The basic phaseout schedule for
HCFCs in developed countries is as follows: 35% reduction in 2004, 65% reduction in 2010,
90% reduction in 2015, 99.5% reduction in 2020, and 100% phaseout in 2030. The final 0.5%
is to be available only to service existing refrigeration and air conditioning equipment.
Developing countries will freeze HCFC consumption at 2015 levels (maximum) in 2016, and
phase out completely by 2040. The Parties will discuss possible phase out steps in 2000 for
developing countries. Some Parties have adopted more stringent controls.
The Parties have identified a number of essential uses that are deemed necessary for the health
and safety of society, and for which there are no technically and economically feasible
alternatives available or substitutes that are environmentally acceptable. Production for such
uses is still permitted under the Montreal Protocol. This provision is reviewed on an annual
basis.
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