September 16 is World Ozone Day, a celebration that draws attention to the ozone layer’s function in shielding the earth from damaging UV radiation. The importance of the Kigali Amendment and the Montreal Protocol on mitigating climate change and ozone layer recovery is highlighted in the 2024 topic. The amendment attempts to stop greenhouse gas hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) from causing global warming by up to 0.5 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. Reducing global warming requires the Kigali Amendment to be universally ratified.
History of World Ozone Day
- The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) created World Ozone Day, also known as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, in 1994.
- An international agreement known as the Montreal Protocol, which was approved in 1987, forbids the use of chemicals that weaken the ozone layer.
- This treaty, which aims to protect the ozone layer by restricting the production of compounds thought to contribute to its weakening, has been adopted by all 197 UN members.
- The ozone layer, which is found in the Earth’s stratosphere, has more ozone than other regions of the atmosphere and is exposed to the majority of UV radiation from the Sun.
- It usually happens in the lower stratosphere, between 10 and 22 miles above the surface of the planet. The ozone layer was discovered in 1913 by French scientists Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson, who observed that there was no radiation below a wavelength of around 310 nanometres in the ultraviolet end of the spectrum.
- The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed by several nations on the same day in 1987, and September 16 is marked annually as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone or World Ozone Day.
- It has been discovered that the ozone hole is slowly shrinking after 30 years, and beneficial effects might last for up to a century.
World Ozone Day Theme 2024
The topic of World Ozone Day 2024, “Ozone for Life,” highlights the beneficial effects of the Montreal Protocol on mitigating climate change and ozone layer recovery. The topic represents the objectives and concerns of today’s ozone layer protection movement, as well as the benefits that the Montreal Protocol has brought about in terms of ozone layer recovery.
Significance of World Ozone Day
- The purpose of World Ozone Day is to increase public awareness of the ozone layer’s significance and its effects on the environment and human health. The majority of the sun’s damaging UV radiation is absorbed by the stratosphere’s ozone layer, shielding the body from skin cancer, cataracts, and other diseases.
- Additionally, it protects biodiversity and ecosystems. There are indications of recovery and a reduction in climate change as a result of the substantial decrease in ozone-depleting substance production and consumption brought about by the Montreal Protocol.
- The goal of many initiatives, including community gatherings, awareness campaigns, and educational initiatives, is to educate people about the value of protecting the ozone layer and to motivate them to take action in this regard.
- The success of the Montreal Protocol, which has been crucial in restoring the ozone layer and lessening the negative effects of ozone depletion, is also celebrated on this day.
- The relationship between preserving the ozone layer and reducing climate change is highlighted by the 2024 topic. In addition to protecting the ozone layer, the Montreal Protocol has significantly aided international efforts to mitigate climate change by reducing the use of ozone-depleting compounds.
- On World Ozone Day, people, governments, and organisations are urged to keep up their efforts to protect the ozone layer, cut emissions, and promote environmental sustainability.
Conclusion
September 16 is designated as World Ozone Day, a day to increase public awareness of the value of ozone layer protection. Animals that depend on plankton are impacted by the disruption of plant life cycles and changes in atmospheric patterns caused by ozone layer depletion. The day promotes cooperation on the Montreal Protocol and worldwide consciousness to tackle climate change and guarantee a more salubrious future for future generations.
