We Can Get Things Done: Good News About the Ozone Layer
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The depletion of ozone in the atmosphere would have profound health effects as it allows more high energy ultraviolet radiation to reach Earth.
Ozone depletion in the upper atmosphere was first recognized in the 1980s. At first it was thought to be a statistical glitch, but once the data was confirmed international action was taken and has been hugely successful. NASA reported that the ozone was continuing to recover in 2022 and news outlets like NPR and the Guardian in January 2023 summarized a United Nations report that was presented by the World Meteorological Association that found that by 2040 the ozone level will have recovered over most of the globe. The polar regions are most severely affected and will lag behind, with the hole over the Arctic recovering by 2045 and over the Antarctic by 2066.
Of course, it takes time for the ozone level to recover. This is a theme in environmental issues: even when you fix something, the system has to readjust. Chemicals don’t instantly disappear from the environment instantly just because you stop adding more!
And it isn’t always simple. Some of the chemicals, hydrofluorocarbons that were used to replace CFCs, are greenhouse gases, but the Kigali Agreement from 2016 was designed to address that problem.
The important takeaway is that we as a species are capable of doing the right thing, if it is necessary and we have solutions we can use.
From the Guardian article:
“Ozone action sets a precedent for climate action,” said Petteri Taalas, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization, which unveiled the progress report, which is conducted every four years, on Monday.
“Our success in phasing out ozone-eating chemicals shows us what can and must be done as a matter of urgency to transition away from fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gases and so limit temperature increase.”
“The unified global response to dealing with CFCs [chlorofluorocarbons, the chemicals responsible for the ozone depletion] means that the Montreal agreement should be considered “the most successful environmental treaty in history and offers encouragement that countries of the world can come together and decide an outcome and act on it”, according to David Fahey, a scientist at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who is a lead author of the new assessment.“
And importantly, this applies not just to climate change. Solving problems with international cooperation is important for other ecological degradation and sustainability threats, like plastic, air, water and food pollution, loss of viable soil and healthy sustainable agriculture, extreme weather events , supply chain issues and displacement of populations. Not all are equally tractable, but take heart: we have shown we can make change happen.