The hole in the ozone layer could be reduced within the next 40 years
The earth from the sky.
(Illustrative image) © Getty Images/EyeEm/Bernt Ove Moss
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
The ozone layer should recover within the next four decades if states maintain current policies.
This is the conclusion of a group of experts mandated by the United Nations presented this Monday, January 9 at the annual meeting of the American Meteorological Society.
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In the 1980s, the thickness of the ozone layer decreased sharply in certain places on the globe, due to man-made emissions of synthetic chemicals.
But since then things have improved.
The Montreal Protocol, a global agreement reached in 1989 to phase out the use of these chemicals, is bearing fruit.
“
The phasing out of almost 99% of banned substances that destroy ozone has helped to preserve the ozone layer and contributed significantly to its recovery in the upper stratosphere and to a reduction in human exposure to radiation. harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun
", note these experts, who publish their four-year estimate under the aegis of the UN.
The protection of living beings against ultraviolet rays
Scientists observe that the size and depth of the ozone hole above
Antarctica
in particular has been slowly decreasing since the year 2000. This is good news, because the ozone layer located very high in the atmosphere serves as a shield against harmful solar radiation: "
If current policies remain in place, the ozone layer is expected to return to 1980 values - before the ozone hole appeared - by about 2066 over Antarctica, 2045 over the Arctic and 2040 over the rest of the world
”.
The thicker this shield, the more living beings are protected from these ultraviolet rays.
And among them, plants, which can then play their role as carbon sinks even better and therefore help to fight against global warming.
The researchers estimate that the recovery of the ozone layer could prevent an additional warming of +0.5°C by the end of the century.
This shows that when states agree among themselves and act together, it works.
►
Also to listen: Why is biodiversity essential at all levels?
The potential adverse effects of geoengineering projects
However, these researchers have also looked for the first time at the potential effects on ozone of geoengineering projects intended to limit global warming, warning of their undesirable effects.
The idea would be to intentionally add aerosols to the stratosphere to reflect some of the sun's rays.
One such project would be to inject billions of sulfur particles into the upper layer of the atmosphere.
An injection of particles into the atmosphere "
could result in a serious drop in the level of ozone
", warns John Pyle, co-chairman of the scientific panel working on ozone on behalf of the UN.
“
There are a lot of uncertainties
,” he said.
►
To read also: Biodiversity: the good and bad news of 2022
(
and with
AFP)
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