Governing the invisible commons: Ozone regulation and the Montreal Protocol

Graham Epstein,Michael Schoon,Chanda L Meek,Irene Pérez

doi:10.18352/ijc.407

Abstract

The Montreal Protocol is generally credited as a successful example of international cooperation in response to a global environmental problem. As a result, the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances has declined rapidly, and it is expected that atmospheric ozone concentrations will return to their normal ranges toward the end of this century. This paper applies the social-ecological system framework and common-pool resource theory to explore the congruence between successful resolution of small-scale appropriation problems and ozone regulation, a large-scale pollution problem. The results of our analysis correspond closely to past studies of the Protocol that highlight the importance of attributes such as a limited number of major industrial producers, advances in scientific knowledge, and the availability of technological substitutes. However, in contrast to previous theoretical accounts that focus on one or a few variables, our analysis suggests that its success may have been the result of interactions between a wider range of SES attributes, many of which are associated with successful small-scale environmental governance. Although carefully noting the limitations of drawing conclusions from the analysis of a single case, our analysis reveals the potential for fruitful interplay between common-pool resource theory and large-scale pollution problems.

Highlights

The Montreal Protocol has long been discussed as one of few examples of a successful global response to a large-scale environmental problem
The environmental goals of the Montreal Protocol have not been met, it is expected that the cumulative reductions in the emission of ozonedepleting substances (ODS) will begin to have an impact on global ozone concentrations toward the middle of the twenty-first century (Ravishankara 2009)
The analysis presented draws upon our synthesis of multiple studies using the SESMAD database to explore factors that may have contributed to the observed decline in ODS production (Figure 2)

Summary

Introduction

The Montreal Protocol has long been discussed as one of few examples of a successful global response to a large-scale environmental problem. The environmental goals of the Montreal Protocol have not been met, it is expected that the cumulative reductions in the emission of ODS will begin to have an impact on global ozone concentrations toward the middle of the twenty-first century (Ravishankara 2009). This paper, as part of the Social-Ecological Systems Meta-Analysis Database (SESMAD) project, explores the Montreal Protocol through the lens of commonpool resource (CPR) theory. The SES framework emerged from growing recognition that social-ecological outcomes are the product of complex interactions among diverse actors, institutions, and biophysical systems

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion