Sept. 16 - World Ozone Day!

Today is world ozone day, as proclaimed by the United Nations.  Thus, the reports last week, that the ozone layer has made a come back is great news.   

Except that it is not really quite news - recovery of the ozone layer has been expected for some years now.  And the ozone layer is not expected to recover to 1980s levels for several more decades - because ozone depleting substances stay up in the stratospheric ozone layer for such a long time.

Nevertheless, these developments are really positive and all thanks to the 1987 Montrol Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances, which has been responsible for the global phase-out of many of the worst ozone depleting substance. The ozone layer recovery reports also provides some validation for the general consensus in the international community that the Montreal Protocol system (together with the Vienna Convention the Protection of the Ozone Layer) is so far the most successful international environmental agreement that has been created.  

Yay Ozone treaties!