Protection of the Ozone and Climate under the Montreal Protocol

When
February 25, 2021 11:00 am — 12:30 pm
Where
Webinar Only

An ELI Public Webinar

A decade of research in the 1970s and 80s resulted in a fateful discovery: the ozone layer, which protects living things from harmful ultraviolet radiation, was not only depleting, but had, and significantly dissipated over Antarctica. This discovery accelerated an unprecedented global response that resulted in perhaps the most remarkable environmental international agreement to date: the Montreal Protocol.

The Montreal Protocol is a multilateral environmental agreement designed to phase out ozone-depleting substances (ODSs). It was ratified in 1989, only four years after the discovery of the ozone hole, and targeted chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which remove ozone in the stratosphere. At the time, CFCs and HCFCs were ubiquitous in household appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and freezers. Since the ratification of the Montreal Protocol, ozone levels in the atmosphere have shown significant recovery, and in 2019, reports indicated the ozone hole was the smallest it has been since 1982, making the Montreal Protocol one of the most successful international agreements to date.

Join ELI and expert panelists intimately involved in the development, creation, and facilitation of the Montreal Protocol for a roundtable discussion to commemorate the success of this significant agreement, including how they successfully collaborated across multiple administrations, highlighting the challenges faced, and extrapolate lessons that can be applied to future global agreements and environmental governance.

Panelists:
Maram T. Salaheldin, Associate, Clark Hill, Moderator
Stephen O. Andersen, Director of Research, Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development
Wayne Balta, Vice President, Corporate Environmental Affairs & Product Safety, IBM Corporation
Eileen Claussen, Executive-in Residence, Love School of Business, Elon University
David Doniger, Senior Strategic Director, Climate & Clean Energy Program, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Steven Shimberg, Principal, SJSolutions PLLC
Durwood Zaelke, Founder and President, Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development

Materials:
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