CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS): Pope Benedict XVI called for more intensive co-operation to reduce ozone depletion, saying it was an important element in protecting the gifts of creation.
The comments on September 16 were the latest in a series of ecological statements by the Pope, who has focused lately on the Christian responsibility of safeguarding the environment.
The Pope noted that September 16 marked the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Montreal Protocol, an agreement that curbed emissions of chemicals which reduce the Earth’s protective ozone layer in the stratosphere.
He said ozone depletion has caused “serious damage to the human being and the ecosystem”.
Experts have linked ozone depletion to an increase in ultraviolet radiation that causes skin cancer.
The Pope said the landmark Montreal Protocol was an important step forward in dealing with the problem.
The Montreal Protocol, which has been signed by 191 countries, is widely considered the most successful international agreement on environmental issues.
