Document

After 32 Years, Protecting the Ozone Layer Is Still a Top Priority

The ozone layer, a fragile shield of gas, protects the Earth from the harmful portion of the rays of the sun, thus helping preserve life on the planet.

International Day for the preservation of Ozone Layer is an annual observance. It is celebrated on 16th of September every year to spread awareness and bring attention to the depletion of the ozone layer. This day is celebrated by organizing seminars, speeches, and national as well as international exhibitions worldwide. In schools, the annual science day is also organized and a lot of awareness is created by the means of media as well.

Ozone Layer Day occurs just a week before UN Secretary-General António Guterres hosts the 2019 Climate Action Summit on 23 September in New York. The Summit will focus on national political ambition to address climate change and further will spotlight efforts to support the climate agenda.

This day plays a very crucial role as it acts as a platform to discuss with friends, family and acquaintances in terms of contributing their share towards the wellbeing of our planet ‘Earth’.

The 2019 theme; 32 years and healing

This year’s theme is, “32 Years,” the number of years since nations signed the Montreal Protocol, which calls for action to protect the ozone layer and climate. It reminds us that we must keep up the momentum to ensure healthy people and a healthy planet.

What if there is no ozone layer on earth?

The ozone layer is a natural layer of gas in the upper atmosphere that protects humans and other living things from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Ozone layer is a layer of ozone molecules, which is found particularly in the stratosphere layer of atmosphere ranging between 20 to 40 km. Ozone layer is formed in the atmosphere when the ultraviolet rays from the sun break a single oxygen atom. The oxygen atom then merges with oxygen and thus forms the final ozone molecule. The problem that causes the depletion of this layer occurs when the harmful sun radiations after sticking the earth surface becomes unable to leave the atmosphere.

After 32 Years, Protecting the Ozone Layer Is Still a Top Priority

Most scientists agree that without the ozone layer, life on Earth will cease to exist. Water and land life would suffer as without the protection from the ozone layer, people, sun, plant life and animals will be destroyed. Even the underwater life will be destroyed with the ozone depletion. The depletion disturbs the equilibrium, there are more summers than winters, the winters also arrive irregularly, and the icebergs start melting. Moreover, the depletion of this layer is a health and nature hazard.

Impact of global action

The Montreal Protocol has led to the phase-out of 99 percent of ozone-depleting chemicals in refrigerators, air-conditioners and many other products. As a result, the atmospheric concentration of the most aggressive types of ozone-depleting substances is falling and the ozone layer is showing the first signs of recovery.

Nevertheless, the ozone layer is not expected to recover fully before the second half of this century. This is because once released; ozone-depleting substances stay in the atmosphere for many years and continue to cause damage.

Much remains to be done to ensure the continued recovery of the ozone layer and to reduce the impact of ozone-depleting substances on the Earth’s climate.

Conclusion

We can either sit back in paralysis or take action for positive change. Everything on our planet Earth is interrelated to one another. The mother Earth provides us with so many valuable environmental facilities without which we cannot survive. Therefore, we should adopt more organic and holistic manner to make its use, the one where both get benefited without causing any destruction. Ozone depletion is the major cause for today’s climatic conditions. It is not present in a huge dimension today, but if not regulated properly, it might cause some serious destruction to the developing as well as developed countries. World Ozone Day provides a great platform among the people of the world to make them aware that it’s high time and we must all put our best of efforts to preserve the ozone layer.

Source :