Delving into the Montreal Protocol Negotiations: Perspectives from Global North to Global South, in Rachele Checchi (ed), Exchanging Visions of the Environment. EVE Fall School 2024 Final Papers

The stratospheric ozone layer surrounds the Earth, protecting it from harmful ultraviolet radiation. However, ozone-depleting substances, such as chlorofluorocarbons, have significantly damaged this shield. This paper explores how the international community gathered efforts to overcome this issue by reaching and successfully implementing the Montreal Protocol. The research analyses the combination of these by reviewing the literature on the subject and underlining the missing factors among those commonly recognised by scholars as crucial. In this context, the paper assesses the factors and stakeholders facilitating international cooperation by including previously neglected elements. Additionally, the study shows how Ghana, as a case study from the Global South, acted to address the risks of ozone depletion. Developing countries have indeed shown a trajectory of success in ensuring the phasing out of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS). The research concludes with a Global North perspective by evaluating whether the European Community has effectively led international efforts to reduce stratospheric ozone depletion. A comparison between supranational and intergovernmental institutions’ roles will help determine if the European Union's environmental legislation on this issue has been among the most ambitious globally. This holistic approach allowed the treaty to address the complexities of ozone depletion in a way that made it more effective than agreements like the Kyoto Protocol or the Paris Agreement, which lacked similar mechanisms for broad participation and sustained commitment.