Download 30 years of healing the ozone together

International Day for the Preservation of Ozone Layer
30 years of healing the ozone together
Ozone: All there is between you and UV
16th
September
2015
Naresh Thakar, Former PRO, GPCB, [email protected]
16th September 1987, representatives from 24
countries met in Montreal and announced to
the world that it was time to stop destroying
the ozone layer. They committed themselves,
through the Montreal Protocol on Substances
that Deplete the Ozone Layer, to rid the world
of substances that threaten the ozone layer.
Thus, 16th September, commemorates the date
of the Montreal Protocol signing on
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
which is observed as International Day for
the Preservation of Ozone Layer, as per
resolution adopted by the United Nations
General Assembly in 1994.
This current year is 30th Anniversary of
Montreal Protocol parties move closer to
managing hydrofluorocarbons under mostsuccessful Environmental Treaty. The theme
for the celebration of both the anniversary and
the International Day for the Preservation of
the Ozone Layer is, ‘30 years of healing the
ozone together’, and the slogan is ‘Ozone:
All there is between you and UV’.
Ozone: Ozone (O3) is a gas found in Earth’s
atmosphere. Each ozone molecule is made up
of three oxygen atoms. It is a pale blue gas
with a distinctively pungent smell and very
scarce. Just 0.000004 % of Earth’s total
atmosphere is made up of ozone. The
formation of ozone is continuous natural
process. Plantation plays an important role in
rejuvenate the ozone through UV rays’ action.
Tropospheric ozone: Near Earth’s surface,
ozone is produced by chemical reactions
involving naturally occurring gases and gases
from pollution sources. Ozone production
reactions primarily involve hydrocarbon and
nitrogen oxide gases, as well as ozone itself,
and all require sunlight for completion.
Stratospheric ozone: Stratospheric ozone is
formed naturally by chemical reactions
involving solar ultraviolet radiation (sunlight)
and oxygen molecules, which make up 21% of
the atmosphere. Ozone reacts continually with
sunlight and a wide variety of natural and
human produced chemicals in the stratosphere.
Important reactive gases that destroy ozone are
hydrogen and nitrogen oxides and those
containing chlorine and bromine.
Ozone helps us: The stratospheric ozone layer
protects life on earth by absorbing most of the
harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
Ozone Layer: The ozone layer is a layer in
the Earth's atmosphere containing high
concentrations of ozone. It occurs between
about 20 and 30km above the Earth's surface
without definite edges. The ozone gas
assembles within the middle reaches of the
stratosphere. The ozone layer protects us from
harmful radiation from the sun’s UVB ultraviolet radiation. Small amounts of
exposure to UVB can result in sunburn, but
high levels of exposure would cause human
beings and most other life on earth to die.
Ozone is an unstable and reactive gas. The
ozone in atmosphere is very dynamic - it is
being created and destroyed all the time. When
UV light passes through the ozone layer,
oxygen molecules are split up into their
constituent oxygen atoms. These single atoms
are then able to react with other oxygen
molecules, forming ozone. This process is an
endothermic reaction, it needs to absorb
energy. This also happens in reverse - because
ozone is so unstable, each ozone molecule
soon splits into an oxygen molecule and an
oxygen atom. This is an exothermic reaction.
This means that ozone splitting results in heat
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which causes an increase in atmospheric
temperature.
Ozone layer - damage and effects: It was
discovered in 1970s that some manmade
products destroy ozone molecules in the
stratosphere. Over 95 chemicals such as
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, carbon
tetrachloride,
methyl
chloroform,
etc.
identified as responsible to damage ozone
layer. Chlorine atom liberated from various
ODS- Ozone Depleting Substances reacts with
ozone and forms chlorine oxide and oxygen
gas. Again, chlorine oxide reacts with one
oxygen atom available in the atmosphere and
forms chlorine atom and oxygen gas. Thus,
liberation of such chlorine atom becomes
chain reaction and destroy ozone molecule,
one after another. This led in damage to
ecosystems. It may cause an increase in human
diseases such as skin cancers and cataracts.
UV-radiation affecting the immune system:
The immune system can be altered by UV
irradiation, leading to diminished immune
responses to infectious agents and skin
cancers.
CFCs alternate: The hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs) do not deplete the ozone layer. They
are potent greenhouse gases and many of them
have high global-warming-potential. They
have a smaller effect on the ozone layer. HFCs
are used in the air conditioning, refrigeration,
foam and aerosol sectors as replacements for
many ozone-depleting substances (ODSs).
Green House Gases: By absorbing the
infrared radiation emitted by the earth, some
gases control the way natural energy flows
through the atmosphere. Such gases are known
as greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide, although
only a tiny fraction of the atmosphere,
methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons,
sulphur hexafluoride, perfluorocarbons are
identified as greenhouse gases.
Supported by:
Ozone depletion and climate change: The
climate change will affect ozone depletion. It
affects loss in stratospheric ozone. Climate
change is expected to decrease temperatures
and water vapour abundances in the
stratosphere. Climate change is reportedly
occurs especially due to carbon dioxide among
other gases.
Global actions: Since, 1985, the nations of the
world participated in the Vienna Convention
implementation of the Protocol over the years,
leading to a 98% reduction of the ozonedepleting chemicals and strengthened historic
baseline levels of the ozone-depleting
substances produced and consumed globally.
Worldwide, over 260 thousand tons of ODS
production is discontinued, permanently.
Significant financial assistance is provided to
developing countries.
This year is also being the 30th anniversary of
the Vienna Convention for the Protection of
the Ozone Layer. It is an important milestone
in the protection of the ozone layer mission.
Phytoplankton are single-celled marine plants
that support marine life. They also moderate
the global greenhouse effect by absorbing
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and
releasing sulphur compounds to promote cloud
formation. Now, as the ozone hole is healing,
the phytoplankton is flourishing in the
microbial community!
Climate change and Cleanliness:
Now, the Ozone is healing due to commitment
made worldwide against ODS, we too can take
a leaf out of it and do a little to reduce among
greenhouse gases, e.g. carbon dioxide being
emitted daily around each and every municipal
locality as solid wastes is being dumped and
burnt. And also support community plantation
as both also help against climate change.
: 10th September 2015
Indroda Nature Park, P.O. Sector -7, Gandhinagar 382 007,Gujarat
Tel: (O) +91-79-23221385, +91-79-23226829
Fax: +91-79-23241128, E-mail :[email protected]
Website :www.geerfoundation.gujarat.gov.in
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