Every year on September 16, World Ozone Day is celebrated to make people aware of the ozone layer. The ozone layer in the atmosphere protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet rays coming from the Sun. These rays can cause many diseases including dermatitis. That is to say, life on earth would not have been possible without a layer of ozone. Every year, people are made aware of its importance by preparing a different theme for the conservation of the ozone layer. The theme of World Ozone Day 2020 is ‘Ozone For Life’.
What is the ozone layer?
Ozone (O3) is the outermost layer of our atmosphere. This layer is an odorless gas consisting of three atoms of oxygen. It does not allow the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays to reach the Earth. But pollution has made holes in ozone, increasing the risk of diseases.
Chemical gases released from the earth damage the ozone layer. Many scientists say that refrigerators and ACs are damaging the ozone layer.
How is the Ozone Layer formed?
Three molecules of oxygen combine to form ozone. The ozone layer begins at an altitude of 10 km above the earth and is present up to 50 km above. It protects the earth from the sun’s deadly rays. This layer prevents the ultraviolet rays of the sun causing cancer in humans.
How do the ozone-depleting particles get formed?
Ozone pollutants are formed when nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons in the atmosphere react with the sun’s rays. The chemical action of carbon-mono-oxide and other gases released from vehicles and factories also increases the amount of ozone pollutant particles. According to scientists, the amount of ozone pollutants should not exceed 100 micrograms per cubic meter in an average of eight hours.
Beginning of ozone day
In the late 1970s, scientists came to know about holes in the ozone layer. After this, in the 80s, the government of many countries of the world started reflecting on this problem.
In 1985 the governments of the world adopted the Vienna Convention to protect the ozone layer. On September 16, 1987, an agreement was signed by 33 countries in the city of Montreal, Canada, to address the concern arising out of the ozone hole led by the United Nations. This is called the ‘Montreal Protocol’. It started on January 1, 1989. The goal of this protocol was to control chemicals that damage the ozone layer by the year 2050. According to the protocol, it was decided to limit the production and use of chloro-fluoro carbon (CFC), a substance that destroys the ozone layer. , But it was not implemented very much. Due to which its harmful effects have to be suffered.
Subsequently, on 19 December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 16 September as the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. World Ozone Day was celebrated for the first time on 16 September 1995.
Ozone Day 2020 Theme
‘World Ozone Day’ is celebrated every year on 16 September to inform people about the importance of the ozone layer and its impact on the environment. The theme of World Ozone Day to be held this year, ‘Ozone for Life: 35 years of ozone layer protection’, this year we’ve completed 35 years of global ozone layer protection.
According to research by Indian scientists published in NCBI Journal, in some countries of the world, there has been a 35 percent reduction in pollution and 60 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide since the lockdown since January 23. At the same time, the emission of ozone layer carbon also decreased by 1.5 to 2 percent and the level of carbon dioxide also decreased.
At the beginning of the month of April this year, there was also news that the biggest hole on the ozone layer has recovered. Scientists said that a hole with a circumference of one million square kilometres above the Arctic has closed.
