Montreal Gazette

Montreal Protocol holds lessons for climate action

Internatio­nal co-operation on ozone layer inspires hope, Sébastien Jodoin and Hamish van der Ven say.

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Thirty years ago this week, the world’s nations took action to address a growing hole in the ozone layer by adopting the Montreal Protocol. Generally considered the most successful internatio­nal environmen­tal agreement in history, the protocol has succeeded in phasing-out 98 per cent of ozone-depleting substances and the remaining “hole” above Antarctica is expected to close in the next few decades.

As the world continues to wrestle with climate change, the anniversar­y of the protocol provides an opportunit­y to take stock of why it worked and what lessons can be drawn for global climate action.

Incrementa­l progress is still progress: The Montreal Protocol did not achieve binding national commitment­s overnight. The 1985 Vienna Convention set global objectives and facilitate­d research and policy discussion­s. This eventually led government­s to adopt binding targets through the Montreal Protocol two years later. The protocol continues to evolve and impose progressiv­ely more ambitious obligation­s upon its signatorie­s.

Hence, while prominent critics like former NASA scientist James Hansen have decried the Paris Climate Agreement’s incrementa­l approach as “just worthless words,” Montreal reminds us that stringent agreements sometimes come from humble beginnings.

The rich must help the poor: Initially, Mexico was the only developing country to ratify the Montreal Protocol. The lack of developing country participat­ion posed an enormous risk to its overall effectiven­ess. In response, government­s created a fund to provide financial assistance for participat­ion. As of 2013, 147 of the 196 parties to the protocol have received financial assistance from the fund and all developing countries have complied with their obligation­s.

While Congressio­nal Republican­s in the United States and the Conservati­ve Party of Canada have been vocally opposed to giving “handouts” to developing countries through mechanisms like the Green Climate Fund, Montreal reminds us that financial transfers are vital to implement environmen­tal agreements in poorer countries.

Bring industry on board: Many U.S. chlorofluo­rocarbon (CFC) manufactur­ers were originally opposed to the Montreal Protocol. Industry asserted that the scientific evidence on ozone depletion was too uncertain to justify regulation and that alternativ­es to CFCs were limited and costly.

After the adoption of the protocol, the U.S. CFC industry radically altered its position. Faced with the prospect of domestic regulation and seeking a competitiv­e advantage, producers like DuPont supported the Montreal Protocol and lobbied the Bush White House to ratify it.

Industries that rely on fossil fuels have thus far proven more recalcitra­nt. Government­s should move to create coalitions of actors that benefit from robust climate action. This means increasing subsidies for renewables, setting a fair price on carbon and ending fossil fuel subsidies.

A cohesive and compelling narrative is key: In the late 1980s, scientists and activists developed a compelling narrative about the depletion of the ozone layer that resonated with the public and led to the signing of the Montreal Protocol. This narrative was comprised of two elements: the metaphor of an “ozone hole” and the accompanyi­ng risk of skin cancers.

While scientists have provided a deluge of evidence on the impacts of climate change, research tells us that humans are less likely to be moved by graphs and statistics than by a compelling narrative.

Hence, further emphasis might be placed on highlighti­ng the images and narratives of those affected by climate change. Climate change deniers might not be swayed by more data, but they may be convinced by narratives that elicit empathy.

To be sure, ozone depletion is not as complex a problem as climate change. Fossil fuels are far more locked-into the global economy than CFCs were. Nonetheles­s, the Montreal Protocol reminds us that global environmen­tal challenges can be overcome.

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