In 1985 Farman et al. reported that the total ozone above Antarctica was changing significantly with time. They postulated that this was due to the increased use of chlorofluorocarbons. In 1987, 23 nations met in Montreal, Canada, to produce a protocol for the reduction of the emission of chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere This talk will attempt to give the historical picture of the events that led up to this significant event, and to discuss the relevance of these events to the current debate on global warming.