To the delight of climate activists around the world, the hole in our earth’s ozone layer is actively shrinking and the stratosphere is on the mend. According to an article published by the UN, the hole has shrunk significantly and is expected to be gone by 2040. 

This revelation is all thanks to the Montreal Protocol. In simple words, the Montreal Protocol is a global agreement created to phase out the production and consumption of “ozone depleting substances.” This protocol was created in the late 1980s when the massive ozone hole was first discovered. Scientists found that without the protection from the ozone layer, humans were being exposed to the harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. These rays have the potential to cause skin cancer among other diseases in humans. 

Scientists predict that the ozone hole will be completely healed by 2040 but only if current environmental policies (such as the Montreal Protocol) stay in place indefinitely. The hole has been slowly shrinking since the year 2000 and has only picked up speed since then. 

Eco-anxiety has been a common theme among Park students for the past few years. This causes a sense of impending doom when it comes to the future of our planet and the difficulties of climate change. This official news that the ozone layer is self-healing has been a source of relief for many. This hopeful news can act as a stress reliever when talk about climate change gets to be too much to handle. 

The hole in the ozone layer had not previously received much attention from the media due to its remote location. The hole is positioned directly above Antarctica and has always stayed put. Considering the fact that the number of people living in Antarctica is very low, healing the ozone layer was not prioritized as it was not directly harming a large number of people. One factor that seems to be ignored by the masses is that the hole in the ozone layer causes an increase in UV radiation that reaches Earth’s surface. This radiation is known to disrupt biological processes on Earth and can contribute to climate change as well. 

Overall, we should be rejoicing at this great news about the ozone layer. Progress like this has not been made regarding the environment in quite some time and it serves as a great source of hope for the future of our planet. Despite the great news regarding the ozone layer, it is important to stay vigilant with such important climate issues.