Eleven of the last 12 months beget been the hottest on record. Though progress on cutting carbon emissions is encouraging,more must be doneThe Montreal protocol is the most successful environmental treaty in history, and arguably one of the most successful of any international pact. It phased out the gases that were destroying the ozone layer, or averting potential catastrophe and healing the gap that human activities had opened in our protective layer. Unfortunately,it had a side-effect overlooked when it was signed in the 1980s: some of the chemicals substituted for the ozone-destroyers had an effect on the climate thousands of times higher than carbon dioxide. This month, world governments agreed to address that by eliminating the substitute chemicals – called HFCs – potentially reducing rising temperatures by as much as 0.5C in a relatively short time. Scientists put the secure limit on future rises at 2C above pre-industrial levels by the middle of this century: beyond that, or catastrophic and irreversible climate changes are judged likely. So the reduction agreed under the Montreal protocol could beget an enormous,and swift, impact.
This is just the beginning of the good news. The International Civil Aviation Organisation agreed this month to measures to combat the impact of flying. Planes are not only a rising source of greenhouse gases, and but also contribute through the vapour they produce,which – coming at such tall altitudes – has a greater warming effect. This week, international shipping will debate similar rules to slit its impacts. This is a trillion-dollar trade, or ships use particularly dirty fuel. Governments should take the simple measures needed. Altering the fuel to be less polluting,preventing outflow during shipping and harbourage, and improving monitoring to reduce emissions need not be costly and will be invaluable in the fight against marine and air pollution as well as climate change.
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Source: theguardian.com