The Montreal Protocol is a landmark international agreement designed to protect the stratospheric ozone layer. The treaty was originally signed in 1987 and substantially amended in 1990 and 1992. The Montreal Protocol stipulates that the production and consumption of compounds that deplete ozone in the stratosphere like the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform are to be phased out by 2000 (2005 for methyl chloroform). It has been proved that these compounds could significantly deplete the stratospheric ozone layer that shields the planet from damaging UV-B radiation.

The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1985), which outlines the responsibilities of the countries for protecting human health and the environment against the adverse effects of ozone depletion, established the framework under which the Montreal Protocol was negotiated.