Paris, 16 September 2011 - The ozone hole is back in the news. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported in August that signs of ozone depletion were again appearing over the Antarctic. A few months earlier, the Antarctic ozone hole was making headlines: for the first time scientists found that it was “creating rainfall in subtropical regions”.
The problem of the ozone hole was supposed to be solved, wasn’t it?
In fact, closing of the hole in the world’s stratospheric ozone layer is still many decades away and the effects and interactions of ozone depletion on climate change are just starting to be understood.
For these reasons, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction Programme decided to embark on an investigative journey through the history and science of the ozone layer, the actions taken to address this major environmental threat and the consequences both for the ozone layer and Earth’s climate system.
From the British Antarctic Survey to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, transiting through Columbia University (New York), the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Boulder Colorado - UNEP’s video is seeking explanations and answers from the scientists closest to the issue.
This scientific journey, recorded in a short documentary, is not a portrait of a planet in crisis, but some world’s top scientists offer hope and solutions. Indeed, the Montreal Protocol, which covers ozone depleting substances (ODSs) can deliver immediate climate benefits. “The Montreal Protocol is a great example of what can be accomplished if nations, industry, technologists and scientists all combine to work on a problem,” said Paul Newman from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. One hundred and ninety-six countries have signed the Montreal Protocol, making it the first treaty of any kind to achieve universal ratification. All the world’s governments are now legally obligated to phase out ODSs under the schedules defined by the Protocol.
“The Montreal Protocol started off with baby steps. The countries took a decision and based on science, they changed the decisions. There were many amendments and adjustments, which finally made it so successful. There may be a lesson in that for the climate negotiations and climate decisions, too.” said A.R Ravishankara from NOAA.
The documentary will be released on International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (“Ozone Day”), the United Nations’ annual day (September 16) commemorating the date, in 1987, on which the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed. Screenings will be organized around the world, including one in Nairobi where UNEP has its headquarters, and at the Biosphère Environment Museum in Montreal, the city where the Protocol was signed. The video is available in English and French at
http://www.unep.org/ozonaction/antarctic
The international version will be provided to National Ozone Units for translation into local languages upon request.
The narration of the French version is by Elisa Sednaoui, a young Franco-Italian actress and model.
For more information, please contact:
Nick Nuttall, Acting Director Division of Communications and Public Information/UNEP Spokesperson, nick.nuttall@unep.org + 254 73 363 2755
Moira O’Brien-Malone, Head, Communications, UNEP Paris, moira.obrien-malone@unep.org, +33 1 44 37 76 12 or mobile +33 6 82 26 93 73.
Anne Fenner, Communications, OzonAction Branch, UNEP, Paris anne.fenner@unep.org, +33 1 44 37 14 54 or +33678787882
About UNEP DTIE’s OzonAction Branch:
The OzonAction Branch of UNEP’s Division of Technology, Industry and Economics is based in Paris and assists developing countries to meet and sustain their compliance obligations under the Montreal Protocol. With this programme's assistance, countries are able to make informed decisions about alternative technologies and ozone-friendly policies. With support from the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol, the Branch has implemented more than 1000 projects and services, benefitting more than 100 developing countries plus other services that assist another 40 developing countries.