Ozone Recovery: Humanity’s Achievement for Climate Preservation
- Avani Pandit
- May 12, 2023
- 1 min read
Have you heard of the Ozone hole that formed over Antarctica in the 1970s? You will be happy to know that it is closing up.
The Ozone Layer is located in the stratosphere, and it is responsible for blocking the harmful Ultra Violet rays coming from the sun. If this ozone filter did not exist, the incoming rays can cause numerous problems, such as sunburn, cataracts and genetic damage, which leads to
skin cancer. It can make plants less productive and more prone to diseases.
The Villain: CFCs
CFCs or Chlorofluorocarbon were developed in the 1920s and used in many places like refrigerators, air conditioners, aerosol sprays, foaming agents etc. Their non-toxic and non-inflammable property made them a popular choice in these products. CFCs are not a threat in the lower atmosphere. However, in the stratosphere, they react with ozone molecules and deplete the layer at a rapid rate. In the 70s it was discovered that CFCs are the reason for ozone depletion, and in 1985 the formation of the Antarctic Ozone hole was observed.
The Solution: Montreal Protocol
To curb this growing problem, The Montreal Protocol was adopted on 16 September 1987. It lists almost 100 Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and was successful in phasing out the production of CFCs. Since its implementation, the Antarctic hole has been recovering slowly and is expected to heal completely in the next 50 years. It is the first universally ratified treaty that is, it is signed by all UN-recognised parties.
The success story of Ozone recovery is something we need to pat our backs on and use as precedence for more prominent steps towards climate change prevention.
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