World Ozone Day 2021: Theme, Impact, Quotes, History, Ozone Depletion

September 16 is World Ozone Day

In 1994, the UNGA proclaimed 16 September as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer

What and When Is World Ozone Day 2021?

The world community is celebrating “World Ozone Day” (WOD) today on September 16, 2021. It is to mark the 36 years of the Vienna Convention for the protection of the ozone layer. Today everyone recognizes the importance of the ozone layer and how it helps to protect humans and other beings from harmful UV radiation emitted by the sun.

On September 16 World Ozone Day is commemorated every year to spread awareness among people about the depletion of the Ozone Layer and find solutions to preserve it.

History of World Ozone Day

In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 16 September as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. Commemorating the date September 16 in 1987 on which the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed.

Why Is the Vienna Convention Significant?

As per UNEP, In 1985, the world’s governments approved the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. Under the Convention’s Montreal Protocol, scientists and the industry in close coordination with governments collaborated to reduce 99 percent of all ozone-depleting substances. This way, the Montreal Protocol helped the ozone layer healing. UNEP predicts the ozone layer to return to pre-1980 values by mid-century.

Further, the Kigali Amendment came into force in 2019 in support of the Protocol. As per the Kigali Amendment, the world community will work towards reducing hydrofluorocarbon (HFCs), greenhouse gases with powerful climate-warming potential, and damaging to the environment.

Aim of Montreal Protocol

The main aim of the Montreal Protocol is to safeguard the ozone layer by controlling total global production and consumption of substances that deplete it. It organises several groups of ozone-depleting substances in order. The Protocol exercises the phase-out of 100 chemicals of production and consumption with the aim of eventually eliminating them completely.

Theme: “Montreal Protocol – Keeping us, our food, and vaccines cool!”

The theme for World Ozone Day 2021 is the “Montreal Protocol – Keeping us, our food, and vaccines cool!”. The cold chain is very important in all countries and has a direct link in reducing food loss and food waste, protecting public health, and supporting the economy. The Montreal Protocol is closely linked to this sensitive sector and WOD is an excellent time to stand out in this often overlooked sector.

India’s MoEFCC Celebrates World Ozone Day 2021

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change will commemorate the occasion in VIRTUAL MODE on September 16, 2021 as per the following program:

• i. Winning Poster
• ii. 23rd edition of “The Montreal Protocol: India’s Success Story”
• iii. Publication and awareness material
• iv. Action Plan for implementation of the recommendations of the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) for Space cooling in buildings
• v. Study on Cold-Chain Sector in India for promoting Non-ODS and Low-GWP Refrigerants
• vi. Study on Public Procurement Policies for Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Equipment using Non-ODS based refrigerants
• vii. Good Servicing practices for Energy Efficient Operation of Room Air-Conditioners
• viii. Short video Film on phasing out of Ozone Depleting Substance in India

Model of International Cooperation

The Montreal Protocol started out life as a means of protecting and healing the ozone layer. It has done its job well over the past three decades. The ozone layer is in the process of being regenerated. The partnership under the Montreal Protocol is exactly what is needed now to address climate change, which is a threat to our communities.

António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations said, “The Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment show us that by acting together, anything is possible. So let us act now to slow climate change, feed the world’s hungry and protect the planet that we all depend on.”

World Ozone Day 2021 Impact

The Vienna Convention and its Montreal Protocol unified the world to reduce the gases responsible for creating a hole in the planet’s ozone layer. The ozone layer is critical in shielding all living beings against deadly UV radiation. Such cooperation proves a positive impact to put the ozone layer on the road to recovery, safeguarding human and ecosystem health.

The ozone treaties have a significant role to play in this work, mainly through the Kigali Amendment of the Montreal protocol. 125 nations have backed the Kigali Amendment and, fully implemented, will prevent 0.4°C of global warming.

World Ozone Day 2021: COVID-19 Pandemic Demands More Unity

COVID-19 pandemic demands more unity and international cooperation to resolve issues related to climate change, nature loss, and pollution. There is an immense need to decide on the replenishment of the multilateral fund.

The Atmosphere and Ozone Layer

The small blue and green planet is perhaps the only one in the solar system and probably in the galaxy where life exists. According to the belief of modern science, life exists in a about 15 km deep spherical shell known as the biosphere. It is into three layers – the atmosphere (air), the hydrosphere (water), and the lithosphere (rock and soil) where humans, animals, microbes, and plants exist.

The atmosphere consists of a mixture of gases and particles that surround our planet; upon seeing from elevation, the atmosphere appears as a thin seam of dark blue light on a curved horizon. The atmosphere expands some hundred kilometers in layers that surround the Earth-like rings. Though, 99% of its overall mass remains in two regions, the inner troposphere and the outer Stratosphere within the first 50 km above the Earth’s surface.

What Is Ozone or Ozone Layer?

Oxygen happens in the atmosphere as oxygen atoms (O), as oxygen molecules (O2), and as Ozone (O3). The ozone layer, as an invisible filter, protects our planet from the sun’s damaging UV (ultraviolet) rays. Ozone absorbs nearly all entering UV radiation and inhibits it from reaching the surface of Earth. It is the protective effect of ozone that allows life to happen on Earth.

What Is Ultraviolet Radiation?

Ultraviolet radiation is radiant energy from the sun. The sun emits electromagnetic spectrum. Higher the energetic radiation, the shorter the wavelength. Ultraviolet is invisible and occurs next to violet in the visible light spectrum. The three types of UV radiation are:

• UV-A between 320 and 400 nm
• UV-B between 280 and 320 nm
• UV-C between 200 and 280 nm

UV-B & C is highly energetic and dangerous to life on Earth. UV-A is less energetic and not harmful. UV-C is absorbed by oxygen and by ozone in the upper atmosphere. The ozone layer absorbs UV-B in the Stratosphere that enables about 2-3 percent to reach the Earth’s surface. This way, the Ozone layer is valuable to plant and animal life on Earth. The depletion of the Ozone layer would increase UV-B and UV-C radiation on Earth, leading to hazardous effects.

What Is Ozone Depletion?

Ozone depletion occurs when the stratospheric ozone production rate is lesser than the destruction. Scientific reports suggest that the release of Chlorine and the Bromine are the leading cause of a net loss of stratospheric ozone. It is evident from the Antarctic ozone “hole” and seasonal declines in international ozone levels.

What Is an Antarctic Hole?

The “Ozone Hole” means the massive and fast decline in a large number of ozone molecules, but of course, still, a big part is left. The Antarctic “Ozone Hole” happens from September to November. It became alarming when ozone concentrations over Halley Bay, Antarctica, had declined 40% from levels during the 1960s. Scientists have noticed terrible depletion since the late 1970s. UNEP has assessed the impacts of ozone depletion on human health, animals, plants, microorganisms, materials, and air quality.

Effects on Human and Animal Health

UV-B radiation has a profound impact on human health with potential risks of eye diseases, skin cancer, and infectious diseases. UV radiation has a tremendously adverse effect on the eye cornea and lens. Its adverse impact on the immune system causes several infectious diseases and develops nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC).

Effects on Terrestrial Plants and Aquatic Ecosystems

UV-B radiation affects the plants’ developmental process. UV-B hampers the early development stages of fish, shrimp, crab, amphibians, and other animals and their generative ability and harms larval growth.

Effects on Bio-Geo-Chemical Cycles

Increased UV radiation can affect terrestrial and aquatic biogeochemical cycles. Enhanced UV-B affects aquatic nitrogen cycling through inhibition of nitrifying bacteria and photodecomposition of simple inorganic species such as nitrate. It may also affect the marine sulfur cycle resulting in possible changes in the sea-to-air emissions of COS and dimethyl sulfide (DMS), two gases that are degraded to sulfate aerosols in the Stratosphere and troposphere, respectively.

Effects on Air Quality

Higher penetration of UV-B radiation (due to reduced stratospheric ozone) results in higher photo-dissociation rates of crucial trace gases. These gases control the chemical reactivity of the troposphere. It may increase both formation and destruction of ozone and related oxidants like hydrogen peroxide.

The oxidants have adverse effects on human health, terrestrial plants, and outdoor materials. Variations in the hydroxyl radical (OH) may alter the atmospheric lifetimes of crucial gases such as methane and Chloro Fluoro Carbons (CFCs) substitutes. Increased tropospheric reactivity starts to enhance the formation of particulate matter such as cloud condensation nuclei.

Effects on Materials

Increased levels of UV radiation are known to have adverse effects on synthetic polymers and biopolymers. UV-B radiation speeds up the photodegradation levels of these substances, thus restricting their life expectancy. It damages from discoloration to loss of mechanical integrity.

The chlorine radicals can undergo complex chemical reactions generating chlorine monoxide, which attacks an ozone molecule converting it into oxygen and, in the process, regenerating the chlorine atom again. Thus, the ozone-destroying effect is catalytic, and a small amount of CFC would be destroying a large number of ozone molecules.