Environmental Agreements

Question 1

Montreal protocol-
When it started?
Why it started?
What type of countries signed onto it and why?

Answer 1

developed: September 16, 1987
Placed into effect: January 1, 1989

countries joined: The United Nations, the Cook Islands, Holy See, Niue and South Sudan recently have all ratified the Montreal Protocol for a total of 198 countries (parties) and 46 signatories according to (UN, United Nations, UN Treaties, Treaties)

Why it started: The protocol was made in effort to protect the ozone layer from ODS.

Question 2

Kyoto protocol-
When it started?
Why it started?
What type of countries signed onto it and why?

Answer 2

Developed: December 11, 1997
Placed into effect: February 16, 2005

Countries joined: There are currently 192 parties (countries) signed to the Kyoto Protocol such as: Japan, Australia, Canada, China etc.

Why it started: The Kyoto Protocol was made in effort to cut the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when the threat of global warming was growing at an extreme rate.

Question 3

Paris agreement-
When it started?
Why it started?
What type of countries signed onto it? 
What is the significance of it?

Answer 3

Developed: December 12, 2015
Placed into effect: November 4, 2016

Why it started: The overall goal is to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, 1.5 being the minimum

Countries joined: 189 countries signed such as: France, Samoa, Grenada, Fiji, Belize, Barbados etc.

Significance of it: The significance of the Paris Agreement is that it’s the most recent and currently active international climate change plan/treaty.

Question 4

What are the impacts of cfc’s, cite examples of impacts

Answer 4

The transition from CFCs to HCFCs are mainly because of ¬¬the chemical breakdown of CFCs. CFCs deplete the ozone in the ozone layer, because CFC’s have chlorine, the chlorine can destroy up to 100,000 ozone molecules. C¬FCs are also the reason that there is a massive hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica that was found in 1985.

Question 5

Why did we change from cfc’s to hcfc’s?

Answer 5

. HCFCs are used in place of CFCs because of the hydrogen atom that decreases stability and lowers their lifetime in the atmosphere, most HCFCs break down before they reach the ozone layer.

Question 6

What are the pro’s and con’s of hfc’s?

Answer 6

Pros:
HCFCs are used in place of CFCs because of the hydrogen atom that decreases stability and lowers their lifetime in the atmosphere, most HCFCs break down before they reach the ozone layer.

Cons:
They still function as a powerful greenhouse gas thus contributing to global warming.

Question 7

What are the new refrigerant being proposed/used in refrigerators, deep freezers, airplanes, automobiles and home air conditioners?

Answer 7

Refrigerators: HFC-134a (1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane)
Deep Freezers: R404A
Airplanes: R414B
Automobiles (Vehicles/Cars): R-1234yf
Central and Home air conditioners: R410A