Ozone layer could recover by mid-century

Hai Phong has a dense river system with great potential for exploiting waterway economy but still has limitations in management and exploitation. In the photo: Thai Binh River, section passing through Tan Hung ward. — Thai Binh River, section through Tan Hung ward, Hai Phong city.

The United Nations (UN) has just announced the above information, and welcomed the success of the international joint action.

A new report from the UN's World Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlights that the ozone hole over Antarctica has decreased in size in 2024 compared to recent years, which is considered to be good scientific news for human and planetary health.

"Today, the ozone layer is recovering. When countries listen to the warnings of science, progress becomes a reality," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

In its Ozone Bulletin 2024, WMO assessed that ozone depletion is partly due to natural atmospheric factors that lead to year-to-year variability. However, WMO stressed that the current positive long-term trend reflects the success of concerted international action.

The Ozone Bulletin 2024 is being published to mark World Ozone Day and the 40th anniversary of the Vienna Convention, the first document to recognise ozone layer depletion as a global issue.

That 1975 Vienna Convention was followed by the 1987 Montreal Protocol, which aimed to phase out ozone-depleting substances, mainly found in refrigerators, air conditioners and aerosol sprays. To date, the agreement has led to the phasing out of more than 99% of the production and consumption of controlled ozone-depleting substances, according to the WMO.

According to the WMO, the ozone layer is on track to recover to 1980s levels by mid-century, significantly reducing the risk of skin cancer, cataracts and ecosystem damage from overexposure to ultraviolet rays. In addition, in September 2024, the depth of the ozone hole, which appears over Antarctica each spring, was lower than the 1990-2020 average.

WMO and the UN Environment Programme co-sponsor a scientific report on the state of the ozone layer every four years. The most recent report, published in 2022, found that, if current policies continue, the ozone layer will recover to 1980 levels by around 2066 over Antarctica, by 2045 over the Arctic, and by 2040 over the rest of the world.

PV (synthesis)

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/tang-ozon-co-the-hoi-phuc-vao-giua-the-ky-nay-521010.html