Over the past 20 years, the EU Ozone Regulation has been incrementally stepping up its efforts to reshape the types of coolant we use in refrigerators and air-conditioners. This has been part of a global effort to reverse the damage done to the ozone layer through the use of harmful CFCs – and it has been extraordinarily successful.
The hole in the ozone above Antarctica appears to be healing, and scientists are optimistic that regulations like those introduced through the Montreal Protocol and EU Ozone Regulation are partially responsible. At a time when humanity’s effect on the global environment is becoming increasingly pronounced, it’s encouraging to see that at least some of our efforts to rein in the damage we’ve caused have been effective.