Improving the living standard of all mankind is one of the goals set by the United Nations. As we enter the 2 1 century, we realize more and more that in order to improve our living conditions, we must protect the natural environment and resources, which will enable us to continue to survive. If environmental damage is allowed to continue, we will bring a barren and dangerous future world to our children.
Today, the whole world is concerned about activities to protect the ozone layer. The ozone layer is a natural protective barrier on the earth, which prevents the solar ultraviolet rays that harm people, animals and plants on the earth from directly irradiating the earth.
199965438+In February, the Conference of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer held in Beijing adopted the Beijing Declaration. 175 Various government departments, international organizations, industries and other relevant organizations reaffirmed their obligations to achieve the goal of phasing out ozone-depleting substances. Great success has been achieved since the entry into force of the Protocol; Many countries have achieved great success in phasing out the consumption of ozone-depleting substances. If the Protocol is seriously implemented, the consumption level of ozone-depleting substances will be five times that of 1999. The success of the Montreal Protocol clearly shows that if countries and international organizations cooperate and work together for the same goal, we can achieve such great success.
However, we should not be complacent. The great success achieved so far must continue until we can be absolutely sure that the ozone layer will be protected. From 65438 to 0999, developed countries have taken the lead in reducing the production of CFCs, while developing countries must gradually stop the production of CFCs within the deadline of 20 10 stipulated by the Montreal Protocol. Therefore, the focus of our work will shift from developed countries to developing countries. Only when developed and developing countries fully and continuously fulfill their obligations under the Protocol can the recovery of the ozone layer be fully ensured.
I agree with the theme of International Ozone Day in 2000: "Save our sky: protect ourselves and protect the ozone layer". It reminds us that the fate of our planet and mankind is in our own hands. I call on governments, industries, organizations and citizens all over the world to support the goal of International Ozone Day and take actions to raise public and political attention to this issue. Through education and public cooperation, we will ensure that only chemicals and products beneficial to the ozone layer are used, and we will certainly make extraordinary contributions to protecting our planet and our own health and establishing a higher standard of living for future generations.
International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1September 6) 199565438+1October 23, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to designate September 16 every year as the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer from1995. The United Nations General Assembly established the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer to commemorate the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer signed on September 6th, 1987. All States parties must take concrete actions to commemorate this special day in accordance with the objectives of the Protocol and its amendments.
Since 1976, the United Nations Environment Programme has held various international conferences and adopted a series of resolutions to protect the ozone layer. Especially in 1985, after the discovery of the obvious thinning of the ozone layer around the Antarctic, the so-called "Antarctic ozone hole" problem, the international call for protecting the ozone layer and protecting future generations of mankind became even louder.
1977 In March, the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme held an international conference on "Assessing the Whole Ozone Layer" in Washington, D.C., with 32 countries participating.
The meeting adopted the first "World Action Plan for the Ozone Layer". The plan includes monitoring ozone and solar radiation, assessing the impact of ozone depletion on human health, ecosystems and climate, and requesting the United Nations Environment Programme to set up an ozone coordination committee.
1980 Coordination Committee put forward the assessment conclusion that ozone depletion is a serious threat to human beings and the earth's ecosystem.
198 1 year, the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme set up a working group to draft a global convention for the protection of the ozone layer.
After four years of efforts, the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, an international convention for the protection of the ozone layer, was adopted in April 1985 in Vienna, Austria. The Convention entered into force on September 1988.
The convention only provides for the exchange of information and data about the ozone layer, but it is not binding on the provisions on controlling ozone-depleting substances. According to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, in order to further control chlorofluorocarbons, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) adopted the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer at the meetings in Montreal, Canada, on September 1987+06 and June 65438, after reviewing the statistical data of the production, use and trade of chlorofluorocarbons around the world. According to the Montreal Protocol, the member organizations participating in the Treaty will freeze and reduce the production and consumption of five CFCs and three bromides according to the reduction schedule. Most of the consumption of five kinds of Freon was frozen from 1 in July to 1986. From July 1 9931day, its consumption shall not exceed 80% of that of 1986; From 1 July 9981to 50% of the consumption of 1986.
The investigation after the implementation of the Montreal Protocol shows that the control process and effect under the Protocol are not satisfactory. 1989 From March to May, the United Nations Environment Programme convened the London Conference for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the first conference of the parties to the Convention and Protocol-Helsinki Conference, which further emphasized the urgency of protecting the ozone layer, and adopted the Helsinki Declaration for the Protection of the Ozone Layer on May 2, 1989, encouraging all countries that have not yet acceded to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol. Agree to phase out the production and use of controlled CFCs as far as possible but not later than 2000, taking due account of the special situation of developing countries; Control and reduce other ozone-depleting substances as soon as possible; Accelerate the research and development of alternative products and technologies; Promote developing countries to obtain relevant scientific information, research results and training, and seek to establish an appropriate financial mechanism to promote the transfer of technology and alternative equipment to developing countries at the lowest price. 1From June 20 to 29, 1990, the United Nations Environment Programme convened the second meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in London. Ministers or senior officials of the environment of 53 of the 57 Parties participating in the Protocol and representatives of the European Community attended the meeting. In addition, representatives of 49 States not parties attended the meeting. The meeting also adopted a number of supplementary regulations, which revised and expanded the scope of control of substances harmful to the ozone layer, and expanded the controlled substances from the original two categories and eight categories to seven categories and hundreds. Require the parties to phase out freon and halon in 2000 or earlier; By 1995, carbon tetrachloride will be reduced by 85% and will be completely phased out by 2000; By 2000, trichloroethane will be reduced by 70%, and it will be completely eliminated before 2005. The meeting also put forward the requirement to oppose the uncontrolled use of hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which is a "transitional substance" and was not involved in the protocol adopted at the first meeting (the potential danger of this substance to the ozone layer is much less than that of Freon). The second meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol established the International Ozone Layer Protection Fund with an initial fund of 240 million US dollars for three years. This fund will be mainly used for research on freon substitutes in developing countries, personnel training and regional research, and should be geared to the overall development needs of developing countries.
So far, more than 50 governments have ratified this treaty. The production and consumption of chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-depleting substances have miraculously decreased by nearly 70%. The recovery of chlorofluorocarbons is widely used. In addition, ozone safety technology has been feasible and widely used. Monitoring shows that the growth rate of ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere is gradually slowing down. The content of methyl bromide in the atmosphere has also decreased. However, the ozone layer is fragile, and only with the continuous support of all sectors of society, including consumers, can the struggle to protect the ozone layer finally win. The confirmation of the "International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer" on September 16 further demonstrates the international community's concern about ozone layer depletion and understanding of ozone layer protection.
In order to strengthen the leadership of ozone layer protection, China established the National Leading Group for Ozone Layer Protection, which is composed of 18 ministries including the State Environmental Protection Agency. Under the organization and coordination of the leading group, the National Plan for the Elimination of Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in China was compiled, and it was approved by the State Council with the document 1993, which became the guiding document for China to carry out ozone layer protection. On this basis, the elimination strategies of eight industries, such as chemical industry and household refrigeration, have been formulated, and the guidelines, policies, plans and priority projects for eliminating ozone-depleting substances in various industries have been further clarified, which has strong operability. Based on the above two documents, China actively organized the application and implementation of the Montreal Multilateral Fund project. As of June 1997, the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund has approved 2 10 projects in China with a total grant of10.50 billion US dollars. In order to cooperate with the implementation of the International Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, the state is gradually formulating and adopting certain laws and measures to control the production and use of ozone-depleting substances, and to guide and encourage the production and application of substitutes and alternative technologies, such as production quotas, environmental labeling, tax price adjustment, import and export control, investment control and other policies. 1999, some regulations have been issued. In addition, China has also carried out activities such as propaganda, international cooperation and scientific research to protect the ozone layer, which has raised people's awareness of protecting the ozone layer and actively participated in actions to protect the earth's environment. Through these efforts, China has made remarkable progress in protecting the ozone layer. Many enterprises use multilateral funds or their own funds to change production. According to incomplete statistics, about 20,000 tons of ozone-depleting substances have been eliminated; Some substitute products have been put on the market, creating conditions for reducing or even eliminating ozone-depleting substances.
September 16 is the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer designated by the United Nations General Assembly 1994. The theme of the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer in 2000 is "Save our sky, protect yourself and protect the ozone layer".
There is an ozone layer 25 kilometers above the earth's surface, which can absorb ultraviolet rays harmful to living things in sunlight and is an umbrella for the earth's ecological environment. However, in recent years, scientists have found that the ozone layer, which is extremely important to life on earth, has been "full of loopholes".
In the mid-1980s, scientists first discovered that the ozone layer over Antarctica would be seriously depleted in winter and spring, forming a so-called hole. Especially with the development of industry, the damage to the ozone layer has intensified. Generally speaking, the maximum time of the ozone hole over Antarctica is September 65438+ 10 in a year. 1998 In September, the ozone hole area over Antarctica was observed to be 27.2 million square kilometers, and in September, the ozone hole area over Antarctica reached 28.3 million square kilometers, equivalent to three times the territory of the United States.
The situation in Antarctica is so serious that the situation in the Arctic is not good. From June 5 to 10, 2000, experts from all over the world gathered in Sweden to explore the reasons for the thinning of the ozone layer over the Arctic. In 2000, the ozone content in the ozone layer over Europe decreased by 6% compared with 1980. Just over 1 month ago, the ozone layer in the Arctic, Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, northern Germany, Denmark, southern Sweden and the Baltic Sea dropped to record levels. In Canada, the authorities found that the ozone layer over the country was 7. 5%, ultraviolet radiation increased by 9%.
The hole and thinning of the ozone layer also pose a certain threat to mankind. Scientists generally believe that the destruction of ozone layer directly leads to the increase of ultraviolet radiation on the ground, thus increasing the number of patients with skin cancer and cataract. Some scientists have pointed out that if the ozone layer is depleted 1%, the number of skin cancer patients will increase by 3%.
Our government attaches great importance to the protection of ozone layer. Since 1978, China has officially joined the atmospheric ozone monitoring network of the World Meteorological Organization. 1989 China has joined the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, 199 1 China has joined the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, and has continuously increased publicity efforts to raise people's awareness of ozone layer protection.
(Yunnan Daily, September 2000-16, 2nd edition)