Preserving the ozone layer: everyone’s task.

The 36th anniversary of the signing of the Montreal Protocol and the actions taken to reduce the effects of climate change are the theme of this year’s International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer on September 16th.

The day also highlights the efforts of different countries around the world to repair this vital strip of gas that protects ecosystems and human health by reducing the incidence of ultraviolet radiation from the sun’s rays on our planet.

Once chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons were discovered and the danger that these chemicals represented for the health of the ozone layer, the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol were approved in 1985 and 1987, respectively, in order to reduce polluting gases and accelerate the healing of the ozone layer through global cooperation and multilateralism.

For this reason, and in honor of the Montreal Protocol, the United Nations Assembly designated the sixteenth day of September as the appropriate moment to create awareness in humanity regarding this important issue.

Not only were millions of people prevented from contracting skin cancer or cataracts, but also the survival and prosperity of numerous ecosystems was ensured and the onslaught of climate change was slowed down.

Our country stands out for its support to these international initiatives and encourages its population to redouble actions to curb climate change and protect the ozone layer and the environment.

The creation of the Ozone Technical Office, in charge of implementing the Montreal Protocol agreements on the island, and the Ozone Award, which the country received in 2017 from the United Nations, stand out.

Likewise, the largest of the Antilles promotes the elimination of chlorofluorocarbons present in domestic refrigeration, the manufacture of pharmaceutical aerosols, the suppression of methyl bromide in the fumigation of seedbeds, crops and nurseries, among many other actions focused on the health and safety of our ozone layer.

Written by Yadiel Barbón Salgado.