The ozone layer is a critical protective layer that filters the sun’s ultraviolet rays. When it is depleted, it increases the risk of skin cancer and other diseases. Its integrity is essential for life on Earth.
Fortunately, the ozone layer is on the mend. Scientists have been able to see definitive proof that the ozone is returning. These results come from the Montreal Protocol, which was adopted by nearly 200 nations in 1987. This global agreement banned harmful chemicals that damage the ozone layer.
One chemical eliminated by the Montreal Protocol is chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Chlorofluorocarbons were found in refrigerants, air conditioners, and deodorants. They were known to erode the ozone in the upper stratosphere. However, since the Montreal Protocol phased them out, human use of these substances has been reduced by about half.
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As a result, the ozone is on track to return to its 1980s levels by 2040. Scientists have found that the global average ozone concentration in the atmosphere is just 1.2 deg C above pre-industrial levels. And a recent study suggests that banning CFCs could have shaved off one degree Celsius of warming.
The ozone hole has been a big worry for scientists and environmental advocates for years. When it first appeared in the mid-1980s, the ozone layer was so thin that it exposed people to the sun’s deadly UV rays. As a result, it was estimated that over a hundred million Americans had had skin cancer at some point during their lifetime.
But now, scientists say that the hole has mainly been healed. In addition, their findings show that ozone depletion in the lower stratosphere has been slowing down. Currently, it is at its smallest size since 1982. As a result, some experts suspect that climate change is one of the possible culprits.
The ozone layer is now on the road to recovery, but there is still plenty of work. While the ozone is expected to recover over Polar Regions by 2040, it will take decades to restore it in Antarctica. Although this will be a welcome development, the report warns that the ozone is not a sure thing. There are a variety of controversial geoengineering schemes aimed at cooling the Earth, and some of them could reverse the ozone’s progress.
One such scheme would involve injecting millions of tons of sulfur dioxide into the upper atmosphere. Such injections are controversial, and some scientists have expressed concerns about the unintended consequences. Other proposals to combat global warming include artificial cooling, such as spraying nitrogen into the atmosphere and releasing ozone-depleting particles into the stratosphere. Both of these plans aim to keep the Earth’s temperature from rising by about a degree per year. That means the world’s average ozone concentration in the upper stratosphere will reach its 1980s levels in the middle of the 21st century.
While ozone recovery is on track, many scientists and advocates are concerned that the process may be reversed if the subsequent global warming crisis fails to stop. They also worry that efforts to artificially cool the Earth by injecting particles into the upper atmosphere might cause the ozone to deplete even further.
