Global health. The current scenario and future perspectives

82 actions and agreed on the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (signed by Chile in 1990), which established strict guidelines to reduce the use of ozone-depleting substances while allowing room for economic growth in developing countries. This protocol has had four amendments that reflect a better scientific understanding of the ozone issue, without needing to renegotiate the entire agreement but making the agreement flexible yet firm. Currently, out of the 96 chemical substances controlled by the protocol, developed countries have already phased out the use of most of them, while developing countries are still in the primary process of eliminating CFCs. However, substantial progress is expected to be achieved in this decade. Since its creation, the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol has financed over 6,000 projects to reduce the use of ozone-depleting substances in 148 developing countries. Obviously, to sustain this work, donor countries must continue to support developing countries in their transition towards ozone-friendly technologies, while developed countries maintain their leadership in permanently eliminating ozone depletion. The partnership between developed and developing countries must remain strong and effective. The success of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol can be attributed to developed countries taking the initiative and making the effort credible, and only then asking the less developed countries to do the same. In this sense, countries adopted the “precautionary principle” of acting to protect the environment despite the lack of conclusive scientific evidence and then strengthened and modified their policies based on further scientific research. UNEP has projected that, without the Montreal Protocol, ozone depletion would have increased up to 70% by the year 2050. Instead, it is expected to decrease in the coming years and gradually return to its normal state by 2050. This success in reversing ozone depletion provides a model for other efforts to combat global environmental issues. e) Environmental pollution The relationship between economic development and environmental damage has been evident in the problem of pollution and waste products. The increase in economic activities, especially in industrialized countries, generates pollution from garbage and waste, sewage, greenhouse gas emissions, hazardous pollutants and chemicals. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), representing the world’s 36 wealthiest countries, estimates that between