United Nations, Dhu-AlHijjah 2, 1436, Sep 16, 2015, SPA -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that a political commitment to manage hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the Montreal Protocol - in which it was agreed to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals - could be one of the biggest climate change victories in the lead-up to December's climate conference. "Let us ensure that we protect our climate the way we have preserved the ozone layer," Ban said in his message for the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. "Not so long ago, humanity stood on the brink of a self-inflicted catastrophe. Our use of ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) had torn a hole in the ozone layer that protects us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation. But we tackled this challenge," Ban said. --SPA 20:24 LOCAL TIME 17:24 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w