The hole in the ozone layer has not grown since the year 2000 and appears to have shrunk in recent years. This shows that climate change measures can work, Weeronline weather expert Jaco van Wezel said Friday.
The thickness of the ozone layer, which protects us from harmful UV rays, varies from place to place and is seasonal. Harmful substances, such as gases from air conditioners and refrigerators, cause the ozone to break down, creating a hole in the ozone layer. This mainly happens in Antarctica.
In 1987, the Montreal Protocol decided to reduce emissions of ozone-depleting gases. As a result, the ozone hole hasn’t gotten bigger this century. There are also slowly signs of a narrowing of the hole. But the expert also says that the actual recovery of the ozone layer will not happen before 2050.
It takes so long because ozone-depleting substances can remain in the atmosphere for up to a hundred years before being broken down. Consequently, the presence of harmful substances has only slightly decreased, while their emissions have already stopped for a long time.
–
