Damaged Ozone layer is restoring; the hole likely to shrink in next 50 years

This undated image provided by Nasa shows the ozone layer over the years—17 September 1979 (top left), 7 October 1989 (top right), 9 October 2006 (lower left), and 1 October 2010 (lower right). Photo: AP

1 min read . Updated: 14 Sep 2022, 08:22 PM IST Livemint

In 1987, a total of 46 countries worldwide signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer

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The ozone layer, which protective shield for the earth, is said to be declining in concentration and this can have a damaging effect on our planet. The ozone layer, located in the stratosphere, is like a thin film that absorbs short-wave ultraviolet rays in sunlight. But research revealed the thickness of the ozone layer in the northern hemisphere has decreased by 4% every year in the past period. Some of the agents that affect the Ozone layers are refrigerants, flame retardants, solvents, and foaming agents that are rich in artificial chlorofluorocarbons (Chlorofluorocarbons, CFCs, also known as CFCs).

Professors Frank Sherwood Rowland and Mario Molina of the University of California in the 70s pointed out a massive hole in the ozone layer in the North and South poles, covering an area of up to 7.7 million square miles. They also predicted that the damage to the ozone layer will lead to excessive ultraviolet rays on the earth, which is a significant concern for human health.

If the earth lacks the ozone layer to absorb ultraviolet radiation, not only will the weather worldwide change drastically, but crops and animals will also directly or indirectly affect growth and development.

Following this, in 1987, 46 countries worldwide signed the “Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer," making a pledge to protect the Ozone layer. which means that governments will protect the ozone.

Over the years, Montreal Protocol has taken a number of steps to protect the Ozone layer which include a complete ban on CFCs.

According to scientists’ observations, the Antarctic ozone layer has seen the first signs of possible restoration. As CFCs in the upper atmosphere gradually decrease, it is predicted that the ozone hole will shrink to the size of 1980 by around 2070, reports suggest.

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