World Ozone Day 2024: When and why was this day started?

World Ozone Day 2024: When and why was this day started?

New Delhi: International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer or World Ozone Day is observed on September 16 every year and is designated by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). This day commemorates the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987, which aimed to protect the ozone layer from depletion. The hole in the ozone layer was observed to have closed 30 years after the protocol was signed.

However, due to their chemical nature, the effects of the gases responsible for ozone depletion are expected to continue for 50 to 100 years. In this article, let us look at why the day is important and the theme for this year.

What is ozone?

Ozone is a special type of oxygen with the chemical formula O3. The oxygen we breathe, essential for life on Earth, is O2. While ozone makes up a small portion of our atmosphere, it is crucial for human well-being. Most ozone is found high up in the atmosphere, between 10 and 40km above the Earth’s surface, in a stratosphere region. This area contains about 90 per cent of all the ozone in the atmosphere.

What is the ozone layer?

The ozone layer is a thin layer of gas that shields the Earth from the harmful part of the sun’s rays, helping to protect life on the planet. By phasing out the use of ozone-depleting substances, we have protected the ozone layer for present and future generations and made significant contributions to global efforts to address climate change. This action has also helped safeguard human health and ecosystems by reducing the harmful ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth.

International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer: When and why this day began?

In the mid-1980s, scientists found that certain chemicals used in air conditioners and refrigerators harmed the ozone layer, protecting life on Earth. This damage led to problems like plant destruction, increased skin cancer rates, and ecosystem harm.

To address this issue, 28 countries signed the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer in 1985. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was established in 1987 to address the issue of ozone layer depletion. This historic agreement, which encouraged countries to work together to eliminate 99 per cent of ozone-depleting substances, has led to the remarkable healing of the ozone layer, a clear example of how countries working together can achieve great things.

The UNGA designated September 16, 1994, the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. This day is highly significant.

This day, also known as World Ozone Day, is dedicated to recognising and protecting the ozone layer and the success of the Vienna Convention. It reminds us of our ongoing efforts to protect this vital shield that sustains life on Earth.

 International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, or World Ozone Day, is observed on September 16 yearly. With the growing climate change, there is a need to understand the preservation of the Ozone layer. The day was first observed in 1994. Read on to learn about when and why this day started.   knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge