The Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy (Alliance)
is an industry coalition that was organized in 1980 to
address the issue of stratospheric ozone depletion. It is
presently composed of about 100 manufacturers and businesses
which rely on CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs. Today, the Alliance
is a leading industry voice that coordinates industry
participation in the development of reasonable international
and U.S. government policies regarding ozone protection and
climate change.
The Alliance has become an effective voice in influencing
policy on the ozone protection issue and has succeeded in
ensuring an appropriate global approach to the issue through
the Montreal Protocol while minimizing costly and
ineffective regulations on industries. The Alliance's role
of bringing diverse industries together to form a consensus
on policy development proved successful. As a result the
Alliance provided a credible voice in encouraging a safe and
rapid transition from ozone depleting compounds to safer
alternatives. Industry worked through the Alliance to
advocate a responsible phaseout of CFCs and other ozone
depleting compounds.
Overall, the Alliance has advocated the benefits of
alternatives to CFCs; educated policymakers as to the
feasibility of laws and regulations, assisted in removing
barriers to the use of many alternatives; focused the U.S.
government on curtailing illegal trade in CFCs; guided
government efforts on many regulatory issues, supported an
annual conference for discussion on policy and technology
developments, and disseminated information to the public,
media, governments, and industry that is useful in making
the transition to safer alternatives.