The Ozone Anomaly, Unraveling Earth's Atmospheric Enigm (Comprehensive, hints at a scientific deep dive)
In October 1982, scientist Joseph Forman was taking some measurements in the middle of a snowstorm at a research station in Antarctica.
He was using a machine to measure the amount of ozone in the Earth’s atmosphere. Suddenly, the machine gave a very strange reading. According to the machine, the amount of ozone in the atmosphere had decreased by 40% compared to normal.
Joseph was not surprised to see this.
He saw the strange number and wondered how ozone levels could have dropped by 40%? There must be something wrong with the machine, maybe the machine was not working properly.
After all, it was quite old. He thought that if ozone levels had really dropped that much, NASA’s thousands of orbiting satellites would have caught it. So he packed his things and went home, and in October 1983 he returned.
Joseph was not surprised to see this.
He saw the strange number and wondered how ozone levels could have dropped by 40%? There must be something wrong with the machine, maybe the machine was not working properly.
After all, it was quite old. He thought that if ozone levels had really dropped that much, NASA’s thousands of orbiting satellites would have caught it. So he packed his things and went home, and in October 1983 he returned.
This time he brought a new machine with him and took the measurements again. This time, the readings showed ozone levels were even lower than last year.
He was sure something was wrong. Such incredible readings were impossible. But then again, he thought, if there was a problem, agencies like NASA would have found it by now.
Once again he packed his things and headed home.
Another year later, in October 1984, when he returned to his work,
he decided to take readings from another research station.
About 1,000 miles away from his original research station, he set up the machine again to take readings and take measurements.
He found that the ozone levels had deteriorated further. Here he realized that this was an emergency. He went to NASA with the evidence and soon the world knew about the ozone hole over Antarctica.
Surprisingly, this ozone hole was growing faster every year.
The NASA scientists had ignored it.
In 1979, everything was perfectly normal.
In 1980 and 1981,
things started to turn blue.
In 1982, a regular hole was visible.
By 1983, the hole had grown larger.
And by the following year, 1984, the hole had grown so large that the news had sent shockwaves around the world.
If the ozone layer continued to disappear from the atmosphere, it would be a terrible event. A warning bell for all plants, animals, and humans on Earth.
If the ozone layer were to disappear, life on Earth would cease to exist, and at the rate the hole was growing,
it was predicted that the ozone layer would be completely gone by 2050.
(Every October, a hole appears in the ozone layer above the South Pole)
he decided to take readings from another research station.
About 1,000 miles away from his original research station, he set up the machine again to take readings and take measurements.
He found that the ozone levels had deteriorated further. Here he realized that this was an emergency. He went to NASA with the evidence and soon the world knew about the ozone hole over Antarctica.
Surprisingly, this ozone hole was growing faster every year.
The NASA scientists had ignored it.
In 1979, everything was perfectly normal.
In 1980 and 1981,
things started to turn blue.
In 1982, a regular hole was visible.
By 1983, the hole had grown larger.
And by the following year, 1984, the hole had grown so large that the news had sent shockwaves around the world.
If the ozone layer continued to disappear from the atmosphere, it would be a terrible event. A warning bell for all plants, animals, and humans on Earth.
If the ozone layer were to disappear, life on Earth would cease to exist, and at the rate the hole was growing,
it was predicted that the ozone layer would be completely gone by 2050.
(Every October, a hole appears in the ozone layer above the South Pole)
(The hole in the ozone shield is the size of the continental United States)
The protective ozone layer has never been so threatened.
We are all at risk. Ozone depletion is not natural. It is caused by man-made chemicals
(called chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs)
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| Dynamic visual representation of the ozone layer, cradling Earth within the cosmic void. A directional solar beam illuminates its critical role as our planet's primary defense against celestial energies. |
Before we move on to this topic, let's first understand the ozone layer.
NOTE: This paragraph specially for science students,
As you have studied in school, ozone is a gas.Its chemical formula is O3.
While the chemical formula of oxygen is O2.
An ozone molecule is made up of 3 oxygen atoms.
The ozone layer was formed around the Earth about 600 million years ago.
It is a layer in the atmosphere of our planet's sky that is about 15-35 km above the Earth's surface.
90% of the Earth's ozone is found in this area.
The highest amount of ozone is found 32 km above the surface which is 0.0015%.
This is not a big number.
This gas is found in very small amounts in the atmosphere but even such a small amount is important for the Earth.
Ozone is made up of oxygen.
When ultraviolet radiation from the sun hits oxygen molecules, a very simple chemical reaction takes place.
Due to ultraviolet radiation, oxygen molecules are split into oxygen atoms and when these separate atoms meet with oxygen molecules, ozone is formed. ( O2 + O = O3 )
Now a constant cycle continues.
Often, an ozone molecule collides with an oxygen atom and becomes oxygen again.
A cycle of these two reactions continues and this entire cycle is called the Chapman cycle.
It was named after the scientist Sidney Chapman who first described this chemical reaction
In May 1929, this reaction is called photodissociation or photolysis.
Photo means light and dissociation means separation.
The atoms are separated due to light.
The ozone layer is mainly known for protecting us from the harmful rays of the sun or UV radiation.
(And UV rays can cause sunburn,
weaken our immune system,
cataracts and skin and eye cancer)
Now you might be wondering, if ozone's job is to protect us from UV rays, then why do we wear sunscreen to protect ourselves from UV rays?
The reason is very interesting.
Actually, the sun emits radiation of almost all wavelengths.
Almost all types of radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum are emitted by the sun, whether it is visible light which is between 380-700 nm or UV rays, gamma rays or X-rays.
These 3 rays fall into the harmful category because they are ionizing and their long-term exposure is very harmful to humans. They can break down our body, go inside and change our DNA.
Now there are 3 types of UV rays in the ultraviolet range.
UV-A has a wavelength of 315-400 nm.
UV-B has a wavelength of 280-315 nm.
UV-C has a wavelength of 100-280 nm.
UV-C has the shortest wavelength and is the most dangerous.
Next comes UV-B and then UV-A. Our ozone layer
Prevents X-rays, gamma rays and UV-C rays from reaching the earth
UV-B radiation is partially absorbed by the ozone layer and UV-A is not absorbed at all and it passes through the ozone layer.
This is why sunscreens protect us from UV-A and the rest of the UV-B radiation. Most sunscreens only protect you from UV-B radiation. This is why you are always told to buy a broad-spectrum sunscreen.
A sunscreen that protects you from both UV-A and UV-B radiation.
Here, data science has played a major role in collecting and analyzing UV radiation data. Using this, scientists have been able to find out the harmful effects of different wavelengths on our skin. This data analysis was used to find out which combination of ingredients would have been used to produce sunscreens by different companies.
When we talk about the depletion of the ozone layer, you can understand how dangerous it is
because then UV-C radiation can reach the earth along with other harmful rays.
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| UVA \ UVB Explaination |
This is why, 600 million years ago, before the formation of the ozone layer on Earth, life on Earth was so deep in the ocean that harmful radiation could not reach it, but photosynthesis was still possible.
According to science, when life came to Earth through evolution from water, the ozone layer is also credited to some extent.
It was only after the development of the ozone layer that complex multicellular organisms were able to live in shallow depths in the ocean.
They were exposed to more sunlight and eventually they were able to live on Earth.
Before the formation of the ozone layer, there was nothing to protect the Earth from harmful radiation, but only 50-60 million years after its formation did we see the diversity of life.
Although this happened millions of years ago, humans came to know about them only 200 years ago.
In March 1839, a scientist (Christian Schönbein) at the University of Basel in Switzerland was experimenting with the electrolysis of water. Using electricity, he was separating water into oxygen and hydrogen. While doing these experiments, he noticed a strange smell coming from a gas and when he isolated this gas, he named it ozone. The word ozone actually comes from the Greek word ozen, which means to smell. Since it had a smell, the gas was named after the act of smelling. Twenty-six years later, in 1865, it was discovered that the ozone molecule is made up of 3 oxygen atoms and later scientists also discovered that harmful radiation is blocked by ozone. This gas turns into a dark blue liquid at a temperature of -112° Celsius and at -193° Celsius it becomes a solid. A dark purple solid. It was also discovered that exposure to this gas is actually toxic to humans.
While in the atmosphere this gas is certainly protecting us, it is harmful to us near humans.
If we talk about the smell, it is like the smell of sparks coming from electrical appliances.
Or like the smell of dirt during a thunderstorm. Some people find this smell sweet and fresh
While others find it metallic and bleach-like.
In 1921, a British geophysicist (G.M.B. Dobson) created a machine that can measure
The amount of ozone in the atmosphere. This machine is called the Dobson spectrophotometer.
It is still the standard instrument with which we measure ozone in the atmosphere while living on Earth.
Actually, the amount of ozone is measured in Dobson units. So the units are also named after him. The normal thickness of the ozone layer is 3-5 mm which is 300-500 Dobson units.
8 years after Dobson's machine was built, Sydney Chapman developed the equations for the formation of ozone
and introduced the Chapman cycle to the world.
Surface ozone, as I told you, is harmful to humans.
So it is called bed ozone.
When the scientist Schonbein was working with ozone, he experienced chest pain and difficulty breathing. He also observed that small animals would die in an ozone-infested environment.
It was only after the development of the ozone layer that complex multicellular organisms were able to live in shallow depths in the ocean.
They were exposed to more sunlight and eventually they were able to live on Earth.
Before the formation of the ozone layer, there was nothing to protect the Earth from harmful radiation, but only 50-60 million years after its formation did we see the diversity of life.
Although this happened millions of years ago, humans came to know about them only 200 years ago.
In March 1839, a scientist (Christian Schönbein) at the University of Basel in Switzerland was experimenting with the electrolysis of water. Using electricity, he was separating water into oxygen and hydrogen. While doing these experiments, he noticed a strange smell coming from a gas and when he isolated this gas, he named it ozone. The word ozone actually comes from the Greek word ozen, which means to smell. Since it had a smell, the gas was named after the act of smelling. Twenty-six years later, in 1865, it was discovered that the ozone molecule is made up of 3 oxygen atoms and later scientists also discovered that harmful radiation is blocked by ozone. This gas turns into a dark blue liquid at a temperature of -112° Celsius and at -193° Celsius it becomes a solid. A dark purple solid. It was also discovered that exposure to this gas is actually toxic to humans.
While in the atmosphere this gas is certainly protecting us, it is harmful to us near humans.
If we talk about the smell, it is like the smell of sparks coming from electrical appliances.
Or like the smell of dirt during a thunderstorm. Some people find this smell sweet and fresh
While others find it metallic and bleach-like.
In 1921, a British geophysicist (G.M.B. Dobson) created a machine that can measure
The amount of ozone in the atmosphere. This machine is called the Dobson spectrophotometer.
It is still the standard instrument with which we measure ozone in the atmosphere while living on Earth.
Actually, the amount of ozone is measured in Dobson units. So the units are also named after him. The normal thickness of the ozone layer is 3-5 mm which is 300-500 Dobson units.
8 years after Dobson's machine was built, Sydney Chapman developed the equations for the formation of ozone
and introduced the Chapman cycle to the world.
Surface ozone, as I told you, is harmful to humans.
So it is called bed ozone.
When the scientist Schonbein was working with ozone, he experienced chest pain and difficulty breathing. He also observed that small animals would die in an ozone-infested environment.
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Smoke coming out of factories in an industrial area (Cause of increasing Bad OZONE) |
Today, bad ozone is increasing due to the use of fossil fuels.
Especially nitrogen oxides NOXs
such as nitrogen dioxide
when they are emitted from coal burning or car exhaust Ozone is formed at the surface.
Especially nitrogen oxides NOXs
such as nitrogen dioxide
when they are emitted from coal burning or car exhaust Ozone is formed at the surface.
Due to heat and UV rays, nitrogen dioxide
is split into nitrogen oxides and a single oxygen atom, and this oxygen atom
reacts with an oxygen molecule and forms ozone.
is split into nitrogen oxides and a single oxygen atom, and this oxygen atom
reacts with an oxygen molecule and forms ozone.
In addition to nitrogen oxides, VOCs are also responsible.
Such as benzene, which is produced by burning gasoline.
Sometimes it evaporates from paint applied to walls or it is found in nail polish removers.
It is worth noting that the formation of ground-level ozone often depends on weather conditions.
It is formed in higher amounts during the summer months. Due to higher UV radiation and higher heat.
On the other hand, when it rains and there is more humidity. Fewer ozone molecules are formed.
This is why ozone is also considered an air pollutant.
Such as benzene, which is produced by burning gasoline.
Sometimes it evaporates from paint applied to walls or it is found in nail polish removers.
It is worth noting that the formation of ground-level ozone often depends on weather conditions.
It is formed in higher amounts during the summer months. Due to higher UV radiation and higher heat.
On the other hand, when it rains and there is more humidity. Fewer ozone molecules are formed.
This is why ozone is also considered an air pollutant.
In 2023, ozone emerged as a major air pollutant in the Indian city of Delhi.
We often focus more on air pollutants like PM2.5 carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides and ignore ozone.
Some of you may think, isn't this a good thing?
Since a large amount of ozone is being produced at the surface while there is an ozone hole above us.
The ozone present at the surface can easily rise. This seems beneficial to close the ozone hole.
But unfortunately, it doesn't.
The first reason is that this ozone does not rise and the second reason is that the amount that is harmful to us at the surface is still very small compared to the amount that we need in the atmosphere to form the ozone layer and as you have seen from various chemical reactions, ozone is a very reactive gas. So we cannot easily transport it high into the atmosphere.
We often focus more on air pollutants like PM2.5 carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides and ignore ozone.
Some of you may think, isn't this a good thing?
Since a large amount of ozone is being produced at the surface while there is an ozone hole above us.
The ozone present at the surface can easily rise. This seems beneficial to close the ozone hole.
But unfortunately, it doesn't.
The first reason is that this ozone does not rise and the second reason is that the amount that is harmful to us at the surface is still very small compared to the amount that we need in the atmosphere to form the ozone layer and as you have seen from various chemical reactions, ozone is a very reactive gas. So we cannot easily transport it high into the atmosphere.
Now the question arises, if so much ozone is being produced by human activities,
then how did the ozone hole form?
then how did the ozone hole form?
It started in the 1950s - 60s. There were many research stations in Antarctica
which were set up to study space, Earth and weather. Some of these research stations were actually monitoring the ozone layer.
In particular, from 1961 there was an American station in Antarctica where a Dobson spectrophotometer was installed. In August 1964, satellites were used for the first time to measure the amount of ozone.
These were weather satellites from NASA's Nimbus program. In the 1970s, NASA was concerned that the spacecraft they were sending to the moon could disturb the atmosphere. They were afraid that the spacecraft could damage the ozone layer. Fortunately, there were no negative effects from the spacecraft, but the negative effects were caused by some other small everyday things.
A chemical that was in your hairspray bottle,
which were set up to study space, Earth and weather. Some of these research stations were actually monitoring the ozone layer.
In particular, from 1961 there was an American station in Antarctica where a Dobson spectrophotometer was installed. In August 1964, satellites were used for the first time to measure the amount of ozone.
These were weather satellites from NASA's Nimbus program. In the 1970s, NASA was concerned that the spacecraft they were sending to the moon could disturb the atmosphere. They were afraid that the spacecraft could damage the ozone layer. Fortunately, there were no negative effects from the spacecraft, but the negative effects were caused by some other small everyday things.
A chemical that was in your hairspray bottle,
used in shaving cream cans
and as a solvent in refrigerators.
We call this chemical category
chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs.
In June 1974, a controversial scientific paper was published
by these three scientists who won the Nobel Prize.
In this scientific paper, they showed how the ozone in the atmosphere was being depleted by CFCs.
by these three scientists who won the Nobel Prize.
In this scientific paper, they showed how the ozone in the atmosphere was being depleted by CFCs.
These scientists warned that CFCs have a life span of 40-150 years and have the potential to completely destroy the ozone layer.
After the publication of this paper, these scientists were ridiculed. Some people did not believe it at all.
They said that this was nonsense.
After the publication of this paper, these scientists were ridiculed. Some people did not believe it at all.
They said that this was nonsense.
By this time, CFCs had become very common chemicals. They were used in many manufacturing applications. The advantage of CFCs was that they were very stable on Earth, but the problem was that when they went into the atmosphere and hit the sun's radiation, they would release chlorine into our atmosphere and the chlorine gas would be released, which would cause a dangerous reaction. This chlorine gas reacted with ozone molecules and formed oxygen and chlorine monoxide and as you were told in Chapman's cycle. A cyclic reaction was already taking place so individual oxygen atoms were already present in the atmosphere and this chlorine monoxide reacted with oxygen atoms and formed oxygen and chlorine.
Do you understand the effect of these two reactions? Chlorine reacts with ozone and after the second reaction, chlorine is released again with oxygen.
This means that the chlorine that is released again can react with the remaining ozone, which will destroy the ozone and create more chlorine.
This became a dangerous loop.
One chlorine atom could break down thousands of ozone molecules.
Later, some scientists did experiments to find out the truth of this scientific paper and they found it to be true.
Every chlorine atom in these CFCs was having a devastating effect on the ozone layer, but scientists still estimated that if things continued like this
then 2-4% of the ozone layer would be destroyed by 2099 due to CFCs.
This was a theoretical prediction of scientists, so people did not worry much.
This means that the chlorine that is released again can react with the remaining ozone, which will destroy the ozone and create more chlorine.
This became a dangerous loop.
One chlorine atom could break down thousands of ozone molecules.
Later, some scientists did experiments to find out the truth of this scientific paper and they found it to be true.
Every chlorine atom in these CFCs was having a devastating effect on the ozone layer, but scientists still estimated that if things continued like this
then 2-4% of the ozone layer would be destroyed by 2099 due to CFCs.
This was a theoretical prediction of scientists, so people did not worry much.
Come back to story of Joseph Forman:
Then we come to the story which we were talking about at the beginning.
Joseph Forman, stationed at a research station in Antarctica, used to measure ozone levels there every year.
Suddenly in 1982 his readings showed that 1/3 of the ozone layer over Antarctica had already disappeared.
This reading was unbelievable because scientists had assumed that only 2-3% of the ozone layer would disappear.
That's why he thought his machine must have broken down. So the next year, he brought a new machine and it showed the same reading again.
Then he assumed that the problem must be with the location so he went to another place and again he saw the same thing and when he went to NASA and told them,
NASA scientists themselves measured it and released terrifying pictures.
On which it could be seen that the ozone hole was growing so fast every year.
All the theoretical predictions of the scientists,
were very wrong.
The situation was actually very dangerous.
In August 1985, the first map of the ozone hole was shown to the world and showed what the ozone hole looked like over Antarctica. (see image below)
Suddenly in 1982 his readings showed that 1/3 of the ozone layer over Antarctica had already disappeared.
This reading was unbelievable because scientists had assumed that only 2-3% of the ozone layer would disappear.
That's why he thought his machine must have broken down. So the next year, he brought a new machine and it showed the same reading again.
Then he assumed that the problem must be with the location so he went to another place and again he saw the same thing and when he went to NASA and told them,
NASA scientists themselves measured it and released terrifying pictures.
On which it could be seen that the ozone hole was growing so fast every year.
All the theoretical predictions of the scientists,
were very wrong.
The situation was actually very dangerous.
In August 1985, the first map of the ozone hole was shown to the world and showed what the ozone hole looked like over Antarctica. (see image below)
 |
| image Resource: Earth Observatory Nasa |
The measurements at the bottom of this map are in Dobson Units (DU), as I told you, 300 to 500 units was a common measurement of the ozone layer.
The thickness of the ozone layer, but in the image above, you can see that in the middle of the ozone hole, these measurements had dropped below 200 DU.
In some places, it was about 150 DU.
Every October, a hole appears in the ozone layer over the South Pole.
What worries scientists the most is that they are still not entirely sure
what caused this hole.
Now that you understand the scientific background,
you can understand that this ozone hole is not actually a hole. It is a metaphorical way of saying that the ozone layer has become very thin.
The phenomenon above this area, which we call the 'ozone hole',
is a part of the ozone layer that has been reduced by a third.
In 1977, its reading was measured at 250 DU.
In 1984, it was measured at 160 DU.
It was obvious that urgent action was needed, but scientists were still perplexed by one question.
Why is the ozone hole only forming over Antarctica?
Many reasons have been hypothesized.
First, the air that rises and moves towards the North and South Poles.
Therefore, the depletion of the ozone layer was observed not only over Antarctica but also over the Arctic, but in Antarctica, it was more pronounced.
The reason for this was said to be polar stratospheric clouds.
These are a type of cloud that is seen over Antarctica. The droplets of these clouds are composed of a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acid, and chemicals such as chlorine and bromine react with the surface of these droplets.
These clouds only form at temperatures as low as -78° Celsius to break down the ozone.
This is why this reaction proceeds, but such cold conditions are not so common in the Arctic.
They are mostly found over Antarctica. That is why this thinning of the ozone layer
is most visible here.
Normally the air in the stratosphere of our atmosphere is not very cold.
At the beginning, the average temperature is -51° Celsius and at the top, the average temperature is -15° Celsius.
After that, the temperature only increases as the altitude increases. That is why Antarctica was most vulnerable to this threat, but the good news here is that politicians took immediate action.
After this discovery in 1985, the United Nations began negotiations on it the following year, in 1986.
They began drafting a treaty. To ban CFCs worldwide.
In 1987, a Montreal Protocol was created that came into force in 1989.
What was surprising was
that it became the first UN treaty in world history,
to which every country signed.
All 198 UN member states ratified the treaty and it led to the replacement of CFCs.
HFCs, hydrofluorocarbons that had no negative impact on the ozone layer.
In the 1990s, these nations began to take action and the use of CFCs decreased.
Yet, in 2000, the largest ozone hole was discovered, covering an area of about 30 million km².
This is because there is a delay in taking action and seeing its impact.
But positive results were soon visible. Global CFC consumption was 800,000 metric tons in the 1980s.
By 2014, it had dropped to just 156 metric tons.
99% of CFCs were eliminated by all countries collectively. This is probably the greatest achievement in the history of humanity.
Within 5-10 years, the problem was identified and all countries of the world started implementing the solution and today we can see the result.
The ozone hole is getting smaller. According to a report released by the United Nations in January 2023, things will return to normal in the next 40 years and the ozone hole will completely disappear.
They have predicted that by 2040 the ozone layer will return to 1980 levels.
By 2045 the ozone hole over the Arctic will completely disappear.
This means that our ozone layer will be completely recovered and over Antarctica
Our ozone layer will be completely recovered by 2066.
The thickness of the ozone layer, but in the image above, you can see that in the middle of the ozone hole, these measurements had dropped below 200 DU.
In some places, it was about 150 DU.
Every October, a hole appears in the ozone layer over the South Pole.
What worries scientists the most is that they are still not entirely sure
what caused this hole.
Now that you understand the scientific background,
you can understand that this ozone hole is not actually a hole. It is a metaphorical way of saying that the ozone layer has become very thin.
The phenomenon above this area, which we call the 'ozone hole',
is a part of the ozone layer that has been reduced by a third.
In 1977, its reading was measured at 250 DU.
In 1984, it was measured at 160 DU.
It was obvious that urgent action was needed, but scientists were still perplexed by one question.
Why is the ozone hole only forming over Antarctica?
Many reasons have been hypothesized.
First, the air that rises and moves towards the North and South Poles.
Therefore, the depletion of the ozone layer was observed not only over Antarctica but also over the Arctic, but in Antarctica, it was more pronounced.
The reason for this was said to be polar stratospheric clouds.
These are a type of cloud that is seen over Antarctica. The droplets of these clouds are composed of a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acid, and chemicals such as chlorine and bromine react with the surface of these droplets.
These clouds only form at temperatures as low as -78° Celsius to break down the ozone.
This is why this reaction proceeds, but such cold conditions are not so common in the Arctic.
They are mostly found over Antarctica. That is why this thinning of the ozone layer
is most visible here.
Normally the air in the stratosphere of our atmosphere is not very cold.
At the beginning, the average temperature is -51° Celsius and at the top, the average temperature is -15° Celsius.
After that, the temperature only increases as the altitude increases. That is why Antarctica was most vulnerable to this threat, but the good news here is that politicians took immediate action.
After this discovery in 1985, the United Nations began negotiations on it the following year, in 1986.
They began drafting a treaty. To ban CFCs worldwide.
In 1987, a Montreal Protocol was created that came into force in 1989.
What was surprising was
that it became the first UN treaty in world history,
to which every country signed.
All 198 UN member states ratified the treaty and it led to the replacement of CFCs.
HFCs, hydrofluorocarbons that had no negative impact on the ozone layer.
In the 1990s, these nations began to take action and the use of CFCs decreased.
Yet, in 2000, the largest ozone hole was discovered, covering an area of about 30 million km².
This is because there is a delay in taking action and seeing its impact.
But positive results were soon visible. Global CFC consumption was 800,000 metric tons in the 1980s.
By 2014, it had dropped to just 156 metric tons.
99% of CFCs were eliminated by all countries collectively. This is probably the greatest achievement in the history of humanity.
Within 5-10 years, the problem was identified and all countries of the world started implementing the solution and today we can see the result.
The ozone hole is getting smaller. According to a report released by the United Nations in January 2023, things will return to normal in the next 40 years and the ozone hole will completely disappear.
They have predicted that by 2040 the ozone layer will return to 1980 levels.
By 2045 the ozone hole over the Arctic will completely disappear.
This means that our ozone layer will be completely recovered and over Antarctica
Our ozone layer will be completely recovered by 2066.
Two years ago, another study found that by banning CFCs, we have also controlled some of the major impacts of climate change.
If CFCs had still been used, global temperatures would have risen an additional 2.5° Celsius by 1999.
In 2016, hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, were added to the list of controlled substances.
Over the next 30 years, governments will also try to phase out HFCs.
This is because HFCs are greenhouse gases that are thousands of times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat.
So even though HFCs have no negative impact on the ozone hole, they do have a negative impact on climate change.
From this topic, we learn a very important lesson. If governments and people around the world
unite and fight about the world's problems, solutions can be found very quickly.
The next major issue facing the world today is climate change and once again, all people and governments need to take united action to tackle this problem.
Writer & Researcher
Abu Sufyan Pasha
Abu Sufyan Pasha
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