Renewed efforts to restore
ozone layer
16 September 2006 – Efforts to protect the ozone
layer are showing signs of progress, but much remains to be done to restore this
life-saving part of the earth's atmosphere that filters out the sun's harmful
ultraviolet rays, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a message marking the
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
The latest scientific assessments conducted under the auspices of the UN
Environment Programme(UNEP) and the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) found clear
evidence of a reduction in ozone-depleting substances in the lower atmosphere,
as well as indications that their destructive impact in the stratosphere was
also on the wane, according to the message. But they also push back the
estimated date for total ozone layer recovery by 15 years, to 2065.
Mr. Annan cautioned that failure to comply with the Montreal Protocol, the
1987 international treaty set up to protect the ozone layer, could delay or even
bring this progress to a halt.
“The work is still unfinished, and it is only through persistent dedication
over the course of this century that our generation and future generations will
realize the benefits of full ozone layer recovery,” he said.
Meanwhile, the WMO has launched its first bulletin detailing depletion of the
ozone layer over the Arctic.
While the hole in the ozone layer remains fairly static when it appears over
the Antarctic, areas of depletion in the Arctic are much more likely to shift
around, subjecting populations across far northern latitudes to less protection
from the ultraviolet rays that cause skin cancer, cataracts and other ills, the
report said.
The WMO also found that the degree of ozone loss depended to a large extent
on meteorological conditions, with this past year's mild winter resulting in
less ozone loss than the previous winter, which saw one of the largest Arctic
ozone losses ever recorded.
This comes as three UN agencies today jointly launched a teaching programme
aimed at showing children how to protect the ozone layer and safely enjoy the
sun.
The OzonAction Education Pack is the product of a collaboration between UNEP,
the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World
Health Organization (WHO)
It involves teaching such basic concepts like looking at your shadow to
determine how direct the sun is and covering up with hats, sunglasses and
sunscreen.
“The OzonAction Education Pack will help schoolchildren to become aware of
the simple protection steps that reduce solar UV health risks,” said Dr. Anders
Nordström, Acting Director-General of WHO. “Severe health effects such as
melanoma and other skin cancers are largely preventable through reduced sun
exposure.”
Source: UN News Service
