What is ozone, and why is some ozone “good" while some is "bad?"
Just as humans need sunblock, the Earth needs protection too. Earth’s
sunscreen is called ozone. The ozone that protects us, and all life on
Earth, from the Sun’s harmful UV radiation is high in the atmosphere, in
the stratosphere.
But there is also ozone closer to Earth in the troposphere and that is harmful to the health of people, plants and animals.
Decades ago scientists discovered that the Earth’s “good” ozone layer
was thinning. It was being depleted by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). But
the international community came together with an agreement to vastly
curtail the use CFCs. The UN General Assembly proclaimed September 16
the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer,
commemorating the date of the signing of the Montreal Protocol on
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The theme for this year’s
celebration is “Ozone Layer Protection: The Mission Goes On.”
The Montreal Protocol has so far been successful in meeting some of
its targets, as a result, the abundance of ozone-depleting substances in
the atmosphere is declining and the ozone layer is expected to recover
around the middle of this century.
Source: NASA News
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