For the recovery of the Earth’s natural shield.

On September 16th, 1987, the Montreal Protocol was signed in Canada, to commit governments and communities to the reduction and gradual elimination of the almost one hundred chemical substances that deplete the Ozone Layer. The date is used to celebrate the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.

The Sun is our main source of light and heat, which is why life on Earth would be impossible without its energy. However, this package includes ultraviolet radiation (UVR), which is detrimental to the health of plants, animals and many terrestrial ecosystems.

But wise as nature is, it endowed the blue planet with a shield or umbrella composed of a gas whose molecules have three oxygen atoms, what we know as the Ozone Layer, a gaseous strip that not only functions as a thermal cover to prevent freezing or overheating of the Earth, but also filters the UV-B radiation, letting the UV-A radiation pass through.

Despite this vital role, the Ozone Layer is very vulnerable to socio-industrial processes developed by man with the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Examples are the aerosols manufactured by the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry and the refrigerant gases used in air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, which lead to the progressive thinning and destruction of the Ozone Layer.

It was precisely the discovery, in 1985, of a hole in the Ozone Layer, which drew the attention of scientists, who in turn demanded the concern of everyone in view of the seriousness of this environmental danger.

Superficial or deep burns, stains, premature aging and skin cancer, risk of developing cataracts and other eye diseases, which can lead to loss of vision, the immune system becoming more sensitive to infections caused by viruses and bacteria, decrease of crops, damage to forests and underwater life due to the increase of photochemical pollution and the increase of global temperature, are signs of a weakened or absent Ozone Layer.

Thus, on September 16th, 1987, the Montreal Protocol was signed in Canada, to commit governments and communities to the reduction and gradual elimination of the almost one hundred chemical substances that deplete the Ozone Layer. The date marks the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.

To support the Protocol, the Kigali Amendment, which came into force in 2019, works to reduce hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), greenhouse gases and very harmful to the environment.

In this context Cuba stands out for the national program designed to preserve the Ozone Layer. Among the actions developed is the installation of a plant in the Siguaney cement factory, in Sancti Spíritus, to destroy ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and the technological reconversion of the pharmaceutical aerosol industry for the treatment of bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

In addition, three years ago our country entered the final phase of the program aimed at eliminating hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which are widely used in domestic, commercial and industrial cooling equipment.

In a period of about two years, almost three million refrigerators that operated with R-12 gas were replaced by others, free of ODS. With this process, tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases were no longer emitted into the atmosphere.

And despite the importance of agricultural activity for the island, Cuba was the first developing country to reject the use of methyl bromide in the fumigation of protected crops such as vegetables, coffee and ornamental plants.

In compensation, alternatives are applied with biological methods for the control of pests and weeds.

Under the advice and guidance of the Ozone Technical Office, courses on good refrigeration and air conditioning practices are developed, as well as campaigns to publicize the protection of the Ozone Layer and the checking of imported equipment to ensure that it does not contain ODS.

These and other environmental actions carried out by the signatory nations of the Montreal Protocol, in addition to reducing ODS by 99 percent (%) and favoring the recovery of the Earth’s natural shield, demonstrate that collective decisions and operations, guided by science, are the only way to save the planet from the crisis that man , from very deep, generated.

Written by Ana González Goicochea.