24 September 2007
A.R. Ravishankara, Director of CSD, was selected on September 21 as Cochair of the Scientific Assessment Panel of the Montreal Protocol. The decision was taken at the 19th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, the historic international agreement that protects the Earth's ozone layer.
Background: The 1987 Montreal Protocol established three panels to periodically update the Parties on matters related to the ozone layer. The Scientific Assessment Panel is specifically charged with providing periodic assessments of the science related to the ozone layer, ozone-depleting substances, climate/ozone interactions, and ultraviolet radiation at the Earth's surface. Daniel Albritton, former Director of CSD, was Cochair from the inception of the Montreal Protocol in 1987 until he resigned earlier this year due to retirement. Bob Watson, of the World Bank and formerly NASA, also served as Cochair of the Scientific Assessment Panel since 1987 but he too resigned earlier this year due to retirement. Along with Ravi, Paul Newman (NASA) and John Pyle (Cambridge University, UK) also were selected as Cochairs; Ayite Lo Ajavon (University of Lome, Togo) is continuing as Cochair. The most recent ozone assessment was published earlier this year (Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2006). The next assessment will occur in 2010.
Significance: NOAA has played a leadership role in the international ozone scientific assessments since the beginning of the Montreal Protocol. With Ravi's appointment as Cochair of the Scientific Assessment Panel, that global leadership role will continue. Many NOAA scientists serve as lead authors, coauthors, contributors, reviewers, and technical editor for the quadrennial assessments, and NOAA science is cited prominently in the reports. The work makes a strong and high-profile contribution to the NOAA Climate Goal and to NOAA's Crosscutting Priorities in national and international leadership.