Ozone deal hailed as blow against climate change

David Ljunggren, Reuters

OTTAWA, Sept 22 (Reuters) – A deal by 191 nations to eliminate ozone-depleting substances 10 years ahead of schedule is a “pivotal moment” in the fight against global warming, Canadian Environment Minister John Baird said on Saturday.
Delegates at a U.N. conference in Montreal struck the deal late on Friday. The agreement will phase out production and use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) for developed countries to 2020 from 2030 and to 2030 from 2040 for developing nations.
Baird singled out China — which produces the majority of HCFCs — for praise. When the talks began on Monday, delegates said Beijing’s role would be pivotal.
Washington says the faster phase-out of HCFCs will be twice as effective as the Kyoto protocol in fighting climate change. The United States walked away from the protocol in 2001 and Canada says it cannot meet its Kyoto targets. More