Ozone loss to get worse

A major report by scientists for the British Department of the Environment, published on January 20, shows that “ozone loss is expected to become worse before recovery occurs” and that HCFCs (CFC replacements) will extend the period of severe ozone depletion.

Launching the new report, a government minister warned “there is no room for complacency” and claimed, “The government has been at the forefront of the international campaign to control the production of ozone depleting substances”.

In reality, charged Friends of the Earth, the UK has helped to block progress on tougher EC controls for HCFCs, and watered down the agreement on the ozone-destroying pesticide methyl bromide.

In June 1993, the European Commission proposed cutting methyl bromide by 25% by 1996. The UK succeeded along with other states in watering down the agreement to a 25% cut by the year 1998. The government negotiating position was to seek this level of cut only by the year 2000.

A number of countries have acted to put in place tighter controls, including the Netherlands, USA, Denmark and Sweden.

Doug Parr, atmosphere campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said, “The government should match its rhetoric to its actions. Whilst taking credit for progress in the EC, the UK government have actually been lobbying for weaker controls than those agreed.”

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