N₂O: No laughing matter
Following the launch of a deeply concerning new assessment on the alarming increase in emissions from the ‘forgotten greenhouse gas’ - what should be done to avert a global catastrophe?
Following the launch of a deeply concerning new assessment on the alarming increase in emissions from the ‘forgotten greenhouse gas’ - what should be done to avert a global catastrophe?
Cumulative HFC-23 emissions since the adoption of the Kigali Amendment in 2016 are almost 106,000 tonnes, equivalent to 1.56 billion tonnes of CO2. A strong response from the Parties to the Montreal Protocol is required.
If the UK intends to uphold its commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and demonstrate climate leadership, fast action on climate super-pollutants must be prioritised.
The legacy of the Montreal Protocol is one of delivering above and beyond its initial remit. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has described the Montreal Protocol as a “powerful symbol of hope”, calling on Parties to now go further. At MoP36, EIA calls on all Parties to embody the spirit of the Montreal Protocol once again and to demonstrate it truly is the world’s most successful environmental treaty.
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer has a uniquely successful legacy. For almost four decades, the treaty has been instrumental in protecting the ozone layer and combating climate change, securing the successive phaseout of more than 99 per cent of the production of controlled ozone-depleting substances (ODS).
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is the most significant ozone-depleting substance (ODS) in the world today and is projected to remain so throughout the 21st century. It is also the third most important greenhouse gas (GHG), being 273 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) on a tonne-for-tonne basis over a 100-year period.