ShareThe Montreal Protocol pays off
According to a recent UNEP report, the ozone layer is recovering. It could be restored to its initial state from 2040, except in Antarctica and the Arctic.
The quadrennial report of the Montreal Protocol Scientific Review Panel was published in early January 2023.
It confirms the elimination of nearly 99% of ozone-depleting substances. The report highlights the noticeable recovery of the ozone layer in the upper stratosphere, and a decrease in human exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun.
The report estimates that if current policies remain in place, the ozone layer could return to 1980 levels by around 2066 over Antarctica, around 2045 over the Arctic and by 2040 in the rest of the world.
The Scientific Assessment Panel also estimates in its report that the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol could prevent a warming of 0.3 to 0.5°C by 2100.
See the report: https://ozone.unep.org/system/files/documents/Scientific-Assessment-of-Ozone-Depletion-2022-Executive-Summary.pdf