International Ozone Day 16 September।

Ozone for life: 35 years of ozone layer protection

International Ozone Day 16 September।

This year, we celebrate 35 years of the Vienna Convention and 35 years of global ozone layer protection. Life on Earth would not be possible without sunlight. But the energy emanating from the sun would be too much for life on Earth to thrive were it not for the ozone layer.

This stratospheric layer shields Earth from most of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. Sunlight makes life possible, but the ozone layer makes life as we know it possible.

So, when scientists working in the late 1970s discovered that humanity was creating a hole in this protective shield, they raised the alarm. The hole – caused by ozone-depleting gases (ODSs) used in aerosols and cooling, such as refrigerators and air-conditioners – was threatening to increase cases of skin cancer and cataracts, and damage plants, crops, and ecosystems.

The global response was decisive. In 1985, the world’s governments adopted the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. Under the Convention’s Montreal Protocol, governments, scientists and industry worked together to cut out 99 per cent of all ozone-depleting substances.

Thanks to the Montreal Protocol, the ozone layer is healing and expected to return to pre-1980 values by mid-century. In support of the Protocol, the Kigali Amendment, which came into force in 2019, will work towards reducing hydrofluorocarbon (HFCs), greenhouse gases with powerful climate warming potential and damaging to the environment.

Why we celebrate ozone day?

World Ozone Day, held on September 16, celebrates this achievement. It shows that collective decisions and action, guided by science, are the only way to solve major global crises.

In this year of the coronavirus pandemic that has brought such social and economic hardship, the ozone treaties’ message of working together in harmony and for the collective good is more important than ever. 

Slogan of Ozone Day 2022

The slogan of the day, ‘Ozone for life’, reminds us that not only is ozone crucial for life on Earth, but that we must continue to protect the ozone layer for future generations.

Theme of world Ozone day 2022

The theme announced by the UN Environment Programme for International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 2022 is ‘Global Cooperation Protecting Life on Earth‘ September 16th marks the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer

International Ozone Day is observed on September 16th every year to raise awareness about the depletion of the ozone layer and the measures that can be taken to protect it. The ozone layer is a thin layer of gas in the Earth’s stratosphere that protects us from the harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.

The United Nations General Assembly designated September 16th as International Ozone Day in 1994, to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987. ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were commonly used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and aerosol sprays.

International Ozone Day is an opportunity for individuals, organizations, and governments to come together to promote the protection of the ozone layer and raise awareness about the importance of reducing our use of ozone-depleting substances. Activities that take place on this day include educational campaigns, seminars, conferences, and events that highlight the need to take action to protect the ozone layer.