Ozone

[fungle]

The "hole" in the ozone layer is quite large at the moment situated over south america and moviing westward. If this was a northern hemisphere problem would the US sign the kyoto protocol?

 

[lucaspa]

The "hole" in the ozone layer is quite large at the moment situated over south america and moviing westward. If this was a northern hemisphere problem would the US sign the kyoto protocol?

LOL!! Possibly. It might generate more political pressure to do so. OTOH, since the current administration is financed mostly by industries that would be hurt by the Kyoto protocol, maybe not. After all, the rich can afford the better protection.

 

[fungle]

For some reason I couldn't stop laughing

 

[MartinM]

Since Kyoto is at best tangentially and at worst not at all related to the ozone layer...probably not.

 

[fungle]

I am sorry martin could you explain the extent to which the US has stopped the Ozone depleting materials being produced? Have you read the conditions laid down in kyoto?

 

[Jet Black]

I thought the US had stopped producing CFCs ages ago... or are there other ozone depleting chemicals?

 

[Mainframes]

I thought the US had stopped producing CFCs ages ago... or are there other ozone depleting chemicals?

Nitrogen Oxide is also quite a bad one and that is typically release in aircraft exhaust so it is already getting towards the higher levels of the atmosphere.

Kyoto is nothing to do with the ozone layer as far as I recall. Kyoto is concerned with greenhouse gases particularly carbon dioxide emissions from industry.

 

[MartinM]

Ozone depleting materials are already controlled by the Montreal protocol. I'm not aware of any significant new restrictions in Kyoto on these substances. It would be somewhat amusing if there were any, given that Kyoto sure as hell isn't going to affect global climate.

 

[fungle]

Yes there are.Just because you stop using freon doesn't mean that other C F Cl H compounds are not being used.

 

[MartinM]

Sure, but how significant are their effects, and what if anything does Kyoto do about it?

 

[Jet Black]

Nitrogen Oxide is also quite a bad one and that is typically release in aircraft exhaust so it is already getting towards the higher levels of the atmosphere.

Kyoto is nothing to do with the ozone layer as far as I recall. Kyoto is concerned with greenhouse gases particularly carbon dioxide emissions from industry.

thanks for the info. and that's what I thought about the Kyoto protocol too. perhaps I should read up on it a bit more.

nice place btw, Kyoto.

 

[fungle]

You live in the northern hemisphere what about the poor people living inthe SH. A massive increase in skin cancer making it so children cannot be exposed to the sun for the mid part of the day. How about a little compassion and a recognition of how the first world countries have created a problem that should have been seen thirty years ago

 

[fungle]

MEA CULPA I am sorry I mentioned kyoto

 

[Jet Black]

last I heard was that the OH is supposed to start shrinking soon. although the failure of the kyoto protocol will slow this down.

 

[MartinM]

What massive increase in skin cancer? Are you planning on going sunbathing in Antarctica in the middle of winter?

 

[Jet Black]

MEA CULPA I am sorry I mentioned kyoto

no worries, all these foreign places are easy to get confused.

 

[MartinM]

the failure of the kyoto protocol will slow this down.

I wouldn't bet on it. Global warming could lead to ozone depletion via stratospheric cooling, but Kyoto would never have had an impact on global climate in any case.

 

[fungle]

Sun bathing yes. Heard Island

 

[ThePhoenix]

I thought the US had stopped producing CFCs ages ago... or are there other ozone depleting chemicals?

The major ozone depleting chemical is chlorine. The largest source of atmospheric chlorine is volcanos. I therefore suggest that the hole in the ozone layer is primarily due to volcanic activity.

 

[lucaspa]

Kyoto would never have had an impact on global climate in any case.

Let's look at that a bit. The whole point of Kyoto was to prevent an impact on global climate by greenhouse gasses. Are you saying adhering to the Kyoto protocol would not at least slow global warming?