Internatl efforts pay off in protecting ozone and reducing greenhouseeffect

Geneva/Nairobi --Carol Forsloff - The
World Meteorological Association tells us that international efforts to
protect the ozone layer are making a difference in ways that will
produce world health and economic benefits.

“The
ozone-hole issue demonstrates the importance of long-term atmospheric
monitoring and research, without which ozone destruction would have
continued unabated and might not have been detected until more serious
damage was evident.”


Secretary-General
Michel Jarraud of the World Health Organization points out with this
statement how international efforts can help reduce the negatives of
climate change.

“The
Montreal Protocol is an outstanding example of collaboration among
scientists and decision-makers that has resulted in the successful
mitigation of a serious environmental and societal threat.’’ Jarraud
said.

The executive summary of the Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion 2010
updates information about the effects of climate change on the ozone
layer, as well as the impact of ozone changes on the Earth’s climate.
It was written and reviewed by 300 of the world scientists. .  This is
the first update in four years.

The
report shows that international cooperation has worked.  The agreed
model, called the Montreal Protocol, according to scientists is making a
difference.


 “It
has protected the stratospheric ozone layer from much higher levels of
depletion by phasing out production and consumption of ozone depleting
substances,”the report declares.

Because
many substances that deplete the ozone layer are also potent greenhouse
gases, the report says that the Montreal Protocol has “provided
substantial co-benefits by reducing climate change.”

One of the most important challenges remaining is to continue to monitor the ozone layer and its impact on climate.

The
ozone layer has an influence on climate change, scientists have
continued to inform the world's population.  “These changes derive
principally from the emissions of long-lived greenhouse gases, mainly
carbon dioxide, associated with human activities,” WMO reports.

The
report points out that ozone in the Arctic and Antarctic is now
increasing, not decreasing.  It is expected to recover to its pre-1980
levels some time before the middle of the century.  The hole over the
Antarctic is expected to take more time.  Scientists are now examining
what the impact of increases in the ozone layer will have on the climate
of the earth.

But
greenhouse gas emissions continue to be a negative with respect to
overall climate change.  Scientists believe that international accords
will likely not prevent the earth's temperature from rising to at least 2
degrees centigrade by 2050.  Still the international efforts are shown
to have had positive results.

The
benefits of cooperation on protecting the ozone layer are outlined by
WMO as key to building economies and reducing incidents of skin cancer.

"Without
the Montreal Protocol and its associated Vienna Convention atmospheric
levels of ozone-depleting substances could have increased tenfold by
2050. This in turn could have led to up to 20 million more cases of skin
cancer and 130 million more cases of eye cataracts, not to speak of
damage to human immune systems, wildlife and agriculture.”