Montreal vs Kyoto Protocols

Montreal Protocol:

The Montreal Protocol was a worldwide agreement set in 1987, where all participating countries agreed to lessen their output of harmful chlorofluorocarbons and bromocarbons over the following 20 years. The original agreement had countries cutting their production down to half, but after a revisions in 1990 and 1992 the new goal was to completely cut off all production of those harmful gases. The reduction has averted about 10 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year since.

Kyoto Protocol:

Similar to the Montreal Protocol, the Kyoto Protocol was a global agreement to cut down carbon dioxide (and other greenhouse gas) emissions. The plan called for a reduction of about 2 gigatonnes per year.

Although each protocol cause reductions in the emissions of harmful greenhouse gases, the Montreal Protocol resulted in approximately five times as much. The Montreal Protocol also has been implemented longer than the Kyoto Protocol, giving it more time to create results. Although there are still harmful CFC’s and other gases in the atmosphere that have yet to break down and disappear completely, the Montreal Protocol has been more efficient in its efforts to help protect the ozone.

Figure 1. Megatonnes per Year

Source: http://www.esrl.noaa.gov

This image clearly shows the differences between the impact of the Montreal Protocol (middle graph) and the Kyoto Protocol (bottom graph). The Montreal Protocol shows major drops in the CFC's, ODS's, and other gases over the course of 20 years. The Kyoto Protocol shows some drop but it is gradual and minor. As illustrated in all three graphs by the blue stripped path that without the Montreal Protocol our production of these harmful gases would have dramatically increased.