Global Ozone Day:
World Ozone Day is celebrated on 16th September each year to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol.
- This international environmental treaty for phasing out of production and consumption of Ozone Depleting Substances came into force on this day in 1987.
- The Day is celebrated every year to spread awareness among people about the depletion of Ozone Layer and the measures taken/ to be taken to
- preserve it.
- The theme World Ozone Day 2021: “Montreal Protocol – Keeping us, our food and vaccines cool”.
Montreal Protocol:
- The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (the Montreal Protocol) is an international agreement made in 1987.
- It was designed to stop the production and import of ozone depleting substances and reduce their concentration in the atmosphere to help protect the earth’s ozone layer.
- The Montreal Protocol sits under the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (the Vienna Convention).
Kigali Amendment:
- Kigali Amendment was adopted by the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on October, 2016 at 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol held at Kigali, Rwanda.
- Under the Kigali Amendment; Parties to the Montreal Protocol will phase down production and consumption of Hydrofluorocarbons, commonly known as HFCs.
- All amendments and adjustments of the Montreal Protocol, prior to the Kigali Amendment have Universal support.
India’s achievements in implementation of Montreal Protocol:
- India, as Party to the Montreal Protocol since June 1992, has been successfully implementing the Montreal Protocol.
- India has phased out Chlorofluorocarbons, Carbon tetrachloride, Halons, Methyl Bromide and Methyl Chloroform for controlled uses in line with the Montreal Protocol.
- Currently Hydrochlorofluorocarbons are being phased out as per the accelerated schedule of the Montreal Protocol.
- Hydrochlorofluorocarbons Phase out Management Plan (HPMP) Stage-I has been successfully implemented from 2012 to 2016 and HPMP Stage-II is currently under implementation from 2017 and will be completed by 2023.
- Government of India has recently decided to Ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.
