Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, observed on 16 September:
Forty years ago, nations came together to take the first step in protecting the ozone layer — guided by science, united in action.
The Vienna Convention and its Montreal Protocol became a landmark of multilateral success. Today, the ozone layer is healing.
This achievement reminds us that when nations heed the warnings of science, progress is possible.
Scientists are sounding the alarm once again. We are hurtling towards pushing global temperatures 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, with devastating consequences.
I urge Governments to fully ratify and implement the Kigali Amendment to the Protocol which commits to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) — potent greenhouse gases used primarily in cooling technologies.
And I also urge them to reflect this commitment in their new national climate plans —or nationally determined contributions. These must be aligned with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C and cover all sectors and greenhouse gases, including HFCs.
Implementing the Kigali Amendment could avoid up to 0.5°C of warming by the end of the century. Paired with energy-efficient cooling, we could double these gains.
Every fraction of a degree matters. Every action counts.
On this World Ozone Day, let’s recommit to preserving our ozone layer and to protecting people and planet for generations to come.
