At a ceremony in Montreal, Canada, on Sunday,
Canberra scientist Dr Jonathan Banks of CSIRO
Entomology will receive a prestigious award from
the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(US EPA) in recognition of his leadership in
protecting the Earth’s ozone layer.
The stratospheric ozone layer protects all
life from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV)
radiation. In 1987 the Montreal Protocol
was drawn up to reduce and eventually eliminate
the emissions of artificial ozone-depleting
substances including chlorofluorocarbons and
methyl bromide.
EPA is using the occasion of the 10th
anniversary of the signing of this landmark
agreement to recognise extraordinary achievements
in environmental protection with its Best-of-the-Best
Stratospheric Ozone Protection Awards.
Dr Banks is one of 70 individuals, associations
and corporations from around the world to receive
a Best-of-the-Best Award.
Dr Banks was the inaugural chairman of the
international Methyl Bromide Technical Options
Committee (MBTOC) which first met in the Hague in
1993. Methyl bromide is a fumigant which
has been identified as a significant cause of
ozone depletion in the atmosphere.
In 1995 the Committee delivered a major report
recommending ways to limit methyl bromide use
which was adopted by the nations which signed the
Montreal Protocol. If successful, the
controls will mean a 25 per cent reduction in
methyl bromide emissions by 2001 and that it will
be phased out completely by 2010 in developed
countries.
The MBTOC report included important features
directly attributable to Dr Banks’ input and
chairmanship. It is regarded as an
important source document containing much
original data and has been widely quoted.
Last year, Dr Banks won an EPA Annual
Stratospheric Protection Award. Only
winners of these annual awards were able to
compete for Best-of-the-Best Awards which are
being presented only once. Recipients of Best-of-the-Best
Awards include the Coca-Cola Company, DuPont,
IBM, Lufthansa, Mitsubishi Electric, Nissan and
the US Department of Defense.
Best-of-the-Best Awards will be
presented on Sunday September 14 at a special
ceremony in Montreal, Canada, during a gala
dinner to celebrate Montreal Protocol’s 10th
Anniversary.