U.S. EPA Montreal Protocol Awards

Since the inception of thw awards program winners have represented 54 countires, including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Columbia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Fiji, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

In 1990, The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created the Stratospheric Ozone Protection Awards to recognize outstanding contributions to the protection of the Earth’s ozone layer. Since then, 554 individuals, companies, organizations, and teams from 54 countries have been honored for their dedication and accomplishments. The recipients of the awards have demonstrated originality and public purpose, persuasive moral and organizational leadership, and elimination of emissions of ozone-depleting substances. EPA’s Awards are particularly prestigious because of the international breadth and scope of impressive accomplishments by the award recipients.

"Perhaps the single most successful international agreement to date has been the Montreal Protocol."
-Kofi Annan, Former Secretary General of the United Nations

Just as the science, technology and awareness in ozone layer protection advances and evolves, so do the EPA awards. In 2009, EPA expanded the awards to include notable achievements that improved public awareness of the health effects of overexposure to ultraviolet radiation. Despite greater public awareness of health risks associated with overexposure to harmful radiation from the sun, skin cancer continues to be the most diagnosed cancer in the U.S., with rates of malignant melanoma, the rarest and most often fatal form of skin cancer, on the rise. The World Health Organization confirms that this trend is repeated all over the world. While incidence increases, options to treat this cancer do not. In the U.S., particularly for rural, disadvantaged or medically-underserved populations, melanoma is often fatal. Promoting greater understanding of the relationship between ozone layer depletion, ultraviolet radiation, and health effects continues to be an important additional focus of the awards.

In 2010, EPA is renaming the awards the “U.S. EPA Montreal Protocol Awards” and will honor achievements in ozone layer protection, climate protection, and human health protection through sun safety. The public understands the issue of ozone depletion due to the success of the international treaty addressing this environmental problem, the Montreal Protocol, which is widely considered to be the most successful multilateral environmental treaty in history. Although the ozone layer is on track to recover this century, researchers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have studied the “world avoided” – the catastrophic implications for the ozone layer if the community of nations had not agreed to solve this problem. These implications, in addition to widespread media coverage of the Antarctic “ozone hole,” underscore the tremendous value of the awardees’ contributions to protecting the planet and public health.

List of all previous award winners
Best-of-the-Best Awards

Who is eligible to be considered for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Montreal Protocol Awards?

Candidates may be from anywhere in the world.
Individuals and organizations may work for the public or private sector.
Candidates may be either self-nominated or nominated by a third party.

How do I nominate prospective awardees?

The nomination form for the U.S. EPA Montreal Protocol Award is now available (Word 144K; PDF 1.18MB).

What are the selection criteria for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Montreal Protocol Awards?

Applicants must demonstrate one or more of the following criteria:
- Originality and public purpose;
- Leadership and corporate responsibility;
- Global perspective and implication;
- Success in eliminating substances that deplete the ozone layer and contribute to climate change or in transitioning to alternatives with reduced environmental impact; or
- Leadership in improving awareness of the harmful health effects of overexposure to UV radiation.
An international panel of judges representing government, industry, and non-governmental organizations reviews recommendations; EPA makes the final award selections.

What makes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Montreal Protocol Awards unique?

Recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Montreal Protocol Awards are leading by example. Their demonstrated commitment and extraordinary contributions inspire other individuals and organizations to make a difference in protecting the environment. Their significant contributions reduce the health and environmental risks of ozone depletion, which include: skin cancer, suppression of the immune system, cataracts, and damage to marine life and crops, as well as the environmental risks of climate change.

When and where are the Awards presented?

The U.S. EPA Montreal Protocol Awards will be presented in the fall at a location to be determined.