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
Ozone depletion framework for negotiating international regulations on ozone-depleting substances. That same year, the discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole was announced, causing a revival in public attention to the issue. In 1987, representatives from 43 nations signed the Montreal Protocol. Meanwhile, the halocarbon industry shifted its position and started supporting a protocol to limit CFC production. However, this shift was uneven with DuPont acting more quickly than its European counterparts. DuPont may have feared court action related to increased skin cancer, especially as the EPA had published a study in 1986 claiming that an additional 40 million cases and 800,000 cancer