Our old fridges and air conditioners are still emitting super pollutants

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🗞️ Driving the news: Recent findings from an academic study revealed that despite the Montreal Protocol's efforts to phase out ozone-depleting substances (ODSs), atmospheric concentrations of five specific chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are at an all-time high

🔭 The context: The Montreal Protocol, established in the late '80s, aimed to protect the ozone layer by reducing the production and consumption of ODSs
• The discovery of rising CFC levels is unexpected, given the treaty's significant success in decreasing many other ODS levels

🌎 Why does it matter for the planet: CFCs are not only detrimental to the ozone layer, but they also contribute to global warming at a scale that's up to 10,000 times more potent than CO2

⏭️ What's next: To address the rising CFC levels, there's a pressing need to enhance monitoring capabilities, improve infrastructure for handling and destroying these compounds, and train a skilled workforce
• The global community must work together to ensure proper destruction of CFC stockpiles

💬 One quote: "Things might be looking better for the ozone layer, but there is still a big climate problem that needs to be addressed."

📈 One stat: The warming effect of the identified CFCs in 2020 was equivalent to the total CO2 emissions of Switzerland

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