ABSTRACT

The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer provides the framework for state parties to deal with the problem of ozone-layer destruction. The Vienna Convention was adopted on 22 March 1985 in Vienna, Austria, by 21 states and the European Union, then the European Community. The treaty, which came into force on 22 September 1988, was very effective in raising public awareness of the environmental and health implications of activities resulting or likely to result in the modification or destruction of the ozone layer. The convention also created a mechanism for intergovernmental co-operation in scientific research, systematic monitoring and exchange of data on the state of the ozone layer, as well as the emission of CFCs and other relevant gases. The convention also laid the foundation for a future protocol that would enable the parties to take more specific actions that might be needed to respond adequately to the issue of ozone-layer destruction.