UNEP OzonAction Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, the current Head of Branch officially took up her position on 18 December 2012. UNEP OzonAction assists developing countries and countries with economies in transition (CEITs) to achieve and sustain their compliance with the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, and make informed decisions on alternative technologies and ozone-friendly policies. UNEP OzonAction has implemented over 1,000 projects and services that have benefited more than 100 developing countries. It has also assisted 17 CEITs and provided further services that have served another 40 countries. In order to help developing countries comply with the Montreal Protocol, the
Montreal Protocol Antarctic Survey scientists Joe Farman, Brian Gardiner and Jonathan Shanklin published results of abnormally low ozone concentrations above Halley Bay near the South Pole. They speculated that this was connected to increased levels of CFCs in the atmosphere. It took several other attempts to establish the Antarctic losses as real and significant, especially after NASA had retrieved matching data from its satellite recordings. The impact of these studies, the metaphor 'ozone hole', and the colourful visual representation in a time lapse animation proved shocking enough for negotiators in Montreal, Canada to take the issue seriously. Also in 1985, 20 nations,