Ozone Protection in the United States: Elements of Success

This report addresses a profoundly important question: given hard evidence that human activity is damaging the atmosphere, can we alter deeply embedded economic habits to forestall it? In at least one case – the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances – the answer is yes. With considerable ingenuity and aggressive investment in innovation, many U.S. industries eliminated CFC use more quickly, at lower costs, or with greater environmental benefits than expected. Ozone Protection in the United States examines how and why many CFC phaseout experiences were so successful. Ten case studies reveal how economic incentives, entrepreneurial government activities, corporate leadership and competition – as well as scientific advances and public activism – made significant contributions to the adoption of CFC alternatives.