Scientists have reported that the ozone hole over Earth’s South Pole has expanded by nearly 20 million square kilometers this year, almost three times the size of the United States, signaling promising progress in global efforts to restore the environment.
The ozone hole reached its maximum size of 22.4 million square kilometers on September 28, marking what researchers describe as a relatively small depletion compared to historical measurements.
The ozone layer, a critical atmospheric shield, protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. Ozone-depleted areas allow increased exposure to ultraviolet light, which can lead to higher rates of skin cancer, reduced crop yields and damage to delicate ecosystems.
This year’s hole ranks as the seventh smallest since the recovery began in 1992, following the implementation of the Montreal Protocol, an international agreement designed to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals.
The current reduction in the ozone hole stems from a combination of declining levels of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and sudden infusions of ozone from air currents north of Antarctica. The Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987, played a crucial role in forcing countries around the world to replace harmful chemicals with environmentally friendly alternatives by 2010.
By the mid-1980s, the ozone layer had thinned significantly, leaving large areas of the Antarctic stratosphere virtually free of ozone by early October each year.
