The United States has submitted a proposal to adjust the Montreal
Protocol, accelerating the phase-out of ozone damaging chemicals. The
proposal includes four elements that can be considered individually or
as a package:
1. Accelerating the phase-out date of hydrochlorofluorocarbons
(HCFCs) by 10 years;
2. Adding interim reduction steps;
3. Setting an earlier baseline;
4. Phasing out the most damaging HCFCs to the ozone layer as
the first priority.
These proposals would accelerate existing efforts to address ozone layer
protection, cleaner air, and climate change by calling on the global
community to act more quickly in phasing out hydrochlorofluorocarbons.
In addition, this year is the 20th anniversary of the signing of the
Montreal Protocol, which presents an excellent opportunity to assess the
progress that the Parties have made since 1987, as well as an
opportunity to accelerate the work that remains to be done to meet the
Treaty's objectives.
For more information about the proposal:
EPA ozone.
(Por Jessica Emond,
EPA, 16/03/2007)