Montreal Protocol
| The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer | |
|---|---|
| Signed | 16 September 1987 |
| Location | Montreal |
| Effective | 1 January 1989 if 11 states have ratified by then. |
| Condition | Ratification by 20 states |
| Signatories | 46 |
| Ratifiers | 198 (all United Nations members, as well as the Cook Islands, Niue, the Holy See, Palestine, and the European Union) |
| Depositary | Secretary-General of the United Nations |
| Languages | Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. |
The Montreal Protocol, officially the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. It was agreed on 16 September 1987, and entered into force on 1 January 1989. Since then it has undergone several amendments and adjustments, with revisions agreed to in 1990 (London), 1992 (Copenhagen), 1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), 1999 (Beijing), 2007 (Montreal), 2016 (Kigali) and 2018 (Quito).
The Montreal Protocol has been ratified by 198 parties (197 states and the European Union), making it the first universally ratified treaty in United Nations history. Due to its widespread adoption and implementation, it has been hailed as an example of successful international co-operation. Former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated that "perhaps the single most successful international agreement to date has been the Montreal Protocol".
As a result of the Protocol, the ozone hole over Antarctica is slowly recovering. Climate projections indicate that the ozone layer will return to 1980 levels between 2040 across much of the world and 2066 over Antarctica.