Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer

This came to somewhat of a head in 1985 when researchers confirmed the existence of a large seasonal ozone hole over Antarctica.

That same year, governments adopted the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, creating a framework for international cooperation.

Just two years later, nations negotiated the Montreal Protocol, which committed countries to phase out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances, including CFCs.

Subsequent timely action accelerated the phase-out of harmful chemicals and saw the ongoing recovery of the ozone layer.

The findings shocked the world.

With this unavoidable evidence, 20 nations gathered in Vienna to sign the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer in 1985, establishing an international framework for cooperation and taking the first step to acknowledge the ozone depletion as a shared global problem.

Two years later, on September 16th, world leaders gathered to sign the Montreal Protocol, creating a formal treaty to limit and phase out the production of ozone-depleting substances.

The treaty was the first in the history of the United Nations to achieve universal ratification.