Scientists confirm Montreal Protocol

DuPont, Wilmington, Del., has reinforced the findings of a group of leading scientists that show the Montreal Protocol treaty, signed in Sept. 1987, has had a significant impact on protecting the Earth’s climate, as well as its ozone layer.

In the article, “The Importance of the Montreal Protocol in Protecting Climate,” published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), DuPont Chief Atmospheric Scientist Mack McFarland and co-authors Guus J.M. Velders, Stephen O. Andersen, John S. Daniel and David W. Fahey concluded that after two decades, the treaty has led to substantial reductions in the emissions of ozone depleting substances.

“The Montreal Protocol has had a significant impact in reducing the amount of greenhouse gases that otherwise would have been emitted to the atmosphere,” Dr. McFarland said. “The swift adoption of CFC alternatives in a seamless industry transition during the 1990s, combined with not-in-kind technologies and conservation measures, has contributed to protection of both the ozone layer and the global climate.

“More than anything, the example set by the Montreal Protocol clearly shows that international cooperation among all stakeholders, with flexible regulations that stimulate innovation, can lead to rapid progress toward protection of the global environment.”

For more information, the article can be downloaded at www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.0610328104 .

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