Depletion of Stratospheric Ozone
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Depletion of Stratospheric Ozone
ABSTRACT
Stratospheric ozone depletion became a political problem in the United States in the early 1970s as a result of the discussion over the establishment of a commercial supersonic transportation fleet.
The use of CFCs in aerosol spray cans became a major political problem in the mid-1970s, and the United States banned their non-essential usage as aerosol propellants in 1978.
Negotiations for an international agreement restricting CFC use began in the 1980s and resulted in the 1987 Montreal Protocol. This research examines the evolution of policy responses to stratospheric ozone depletion. The evolution of stratospheric ozone depletion policy is best understood as a two-step process.
The first stage concerns the rise of stratospheric ozone depletion as a domestic issue in the United States and several other nations in the 1970s, while the second stage focusses on its transition into an international issue in the 1980s.
In addition to the emergence of stratospheric ozone depletion as an international political issue, three other factors are important in understanding the sources of the Montreal Protocol:
(1) evolving scientific understanding of the problem
(2) growing public concern about the problem as a result of the threat of skin cancer and the discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole, and
(3) the availability of acceptable substitutes for CFCs.
Chapter one
1.0 Introduction
In September 1987, representatives from 24 nations signed the “Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer,” an international agreement to restrict the production and use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
This treaty is the outcome of years of negotiations facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) among the major CFC producing countries. Its formulation was in reaction to a developing international consensus on the importance of protecting stratospheric ozone from CFC depletion.
The Montreal Protocol is a significant deal as it is the first international treaty to address a global atmospheric problem before substantial environmental repercussions have been confirmed.
As a result, the Montreal Protocol has sparked widespread attention, with scientists and policymakers suggesting that it could serve as a model for international accords on other global environmental issues, particularly CO2 and trace-gas-induced global warming.
Before making such a comparison to other environmental issues, it is important to understand the Montreal Protocol’s historical and political context. The depletion of stratospheric ozone is an example of both the complexity and global aspect of contemporary environmental challenges, and the Montreal Protocol demonstrates that inventive solutions to such global environmental concerns are feasible.
Over the last two decades, concern about stratospheric ozone has grown from a minor environmental issue to a serious policy issue of national and international significance.
An examination of this history is critical for comprehending both the value of the Montreal Protocol and its implications for other global atmospheric issues.
The evolution of stratospheric ozone policy can be divided into two stages: (1) the development of domestic regulations controlling CFC use in aerosol spray cans in the United States and several other countries in the mid- and late-1970s, and (2) the development of an international policy response to the problem of global stratospheric ozone depletion during the 1980s.
These aren’t different issues. The establishment of a worldwide response was undoubtedly motivated by concerns expressed in the United States, Canada, Sweden, and other nations that had taken unilateral measures to restrict CFCs in the 1970s.
However, there are numerous significant distinctions between stages 1 and 2, making this distinction a helpful analytical tool. I contend that four key factors are important in understanding the evolution of stratospheric ozone policy:
(1) the recognition that ozone depletion is a global problem requiring an international response;
(2) the evolving scientific understanding of stratospheric ozone depletion and its influence on policymakers;
(3) increasing public concern based on the threat of skin cancer and the perception of the potential for global catastrophe associated with the discovery of
This research examines the evolution of stratospheric ozone policies. The first section examines the science underpinning the issue of CFC-induced stratospheric ozone depletion.
The following two parts examine how stratospheric ozone depletion became a national political concern in the United States during stage I, and how it evolved into an international political issue during stage II.
This is followed by a discussion of how the changing scientific understanding of the problem, the catastrophic magnitude of the hazards, and the availability of CFC alternatives influenced the final talks for an international agreement. The final portion reviews the Montreal Protocol and discusses its chances for success.
CFCs & The Ozone Layer
Chlorofluorocarbons are a class of inert, nontoxic, and nonflammable synthetic chemical compounds that are used as aerosol propellants, in refrigeration and air conditioning, in plastic foams for insulation and packaging, and as solvents to clean electrical components.
There are numerous types of CFCs; the most prevalent are CFC-11 and -12, while CFC-113 has considerable industrial applications as a solvent. CFC production has increased dramatically since the 1960s
peaking in 1974 before reducing due to the decreased use of CFCs as aerosol propellants. However, non-aerosol consumption increased, and by the mid-1980s, CFC output had returned to mid-1970 levels (see Figure 1).
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