Ozone hole above Antarctica is filling up, thanks to the success of Montreal Protocol

In a rare good news for the planet, Earth’s ozone layer is slowly, but surely, healing. According to a new United Nations report, the hole over Antarctica may mend in full in about 43 years. (Image: News18 Creative)

The global phaseout of ozone-depleting chemicals is benefitting efforts to mitigate climate change. (Image: News18 Creative)

There’s been a drop in levels of Chlorine and Bromine, the two most infamous players in ozone depletion. (Image: News18 Creative)

The ozone layer is part of the stratosphere which lies 10-50 km above the surface of the Earth. (Image: News18 Creative)

The ozone hole lies above Antarctica. Between September and October 2022, it spanned an average area of 23.2 million square kilometres. (Image: News18 Creative)

The Antarctica ozone hole grew substantially from the 1980s to the early 2000s. (Image: News18 Creative)

The ozone layer has been improving steadily in the wake of the 1989 Montreal Protocol, a global agreement to protect the Earth’s ozone layer by phasing out the chemicals that deplete it. (Image: News18 Creative)

Ozone-depleting gases are also potent greenhouse gases. According to a 2021 study in the journal Nature, without a ban the world could have seen additional warming of up to 1 degree Celsius. (Image: News18 Creative)

“Ozone action sets a precedence for climate action. 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,” Prof Petteri Taalas, WMO Secretary general, said. (Image: News18 Creative)