Last Updated on 16 September 2024 IST | World Ozone Day 2024 | World Ozone day is one of those international observances which aims at preventing depletion of the ozone layer. Furthermore, it aims to highlight and make people aware of the international efforts which are made to decrease ozone depletion. The ozone layer is vital for the survival of mankind. Therefore, understanding the significance of the day is very crucial. Let’s carefully explore the particulars of the day in detail.
World Ozone Day 2024 Highlights
- World Ozone day is a worldwide event made to observe annually to highlight the depletion of ozone layer along with its causes and possible solution.
- This day also aims at raising awareness about its preservation.
- In 1994, the UNGA proclaimed 16 September as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer or World Ozone Day.
- The theme for the year 2024 is ‘Montreal Protocol: Advancing Climate Action’.
- World Ozone Day reveals cooperation, guided by science, can only be the way to get relief along with the blessings of the Almighty Supreme God Kabir.
- Recognise the Almighty Supreme God Kabir, the all capable, Who nurtures everything everywhere. By obtaining His refuge, one attains peace and happiness in its life.
What is World Ozone Day?
The global community is celebrating “World Ozone Day” (WOD) on September 16, 2023. On this day everyone recognizes the importance of the ozone layer and how it protects humans and other living beings from harmful UV radiation emitted by the sun.
When is World Ozone Day 2024?
World Ozone Day is commemorated on September 16 every year to raise awareness among people about the depletion of the Ozone Layer and to find solutions for its preservation.
History of World Ozone Day
- On 22 March 1985, 28 nations agreed and formalised the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer to adopt a mechanism to stop continuous depletion of ozone layer.
- Afterwards, in 1987 Montreal Protocol was drafted, aiming to ban substances that lead to ozone depletion.
- The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1994 decided to keep the 16th of September as World Ozone Day or International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone layer in the resolution A/RES/49/114.
- 16th September is the same date in 1987 when Montreal Protocol was signed on limiting the substances that depletes ozone layer.
Why is the Vienna Convention Significant?
According to UNEP, in 1985, the world’s governments approved the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. Under the Convention’s Montreal Protocol, scientists and the industry, in close coordination with governments, collaborated to reduce 99 percent of all ozone-depleting substances. In this way, the Montreal Protocol helped the ozone layer to heal. UNEP predicts that the ozone layer will return to pre-1980 levels by mid-century.
■ Also Read: Climate Change Solutions: Climate Change Has Become a Serious Concern for Humanity
According to the Kigali Amendment 2019 the global community will work towards reducing hydrofluorocarbon (HFCs), greenhouse gasses with powerful climate-warming potential that are harmful to the environment.
Aim of Montreal Protocol
The main aim of the Montreal Protocol is to safeguard the ozone layer by controlling total global production and consumption of substances that deplete it. It organises several groups of ozone-depleting substances in order. The Protocol mandates the phase-out of 100 chemicals of production and consumption with the aim of eventually eliminating them completely.
What is the Theme of World Ozone Day 2024?
The theme for World Ozone Day 2024 is the ‘Montreal Protocol: Advancing Climate Action’. This year’s theme aims at urging global contribution in protecting our Earth as it is the most valuable resource to mankind. In this year the focus is on advancing climate change, the prime factor leading to depletion of the ozone layer, raising awareness about the same.
World Ozone Day 2024: Events
- India is observing 30th World Ozone Day 2024, an event organised by the Ministry of Environmental, Forest and Climate Change at New Delhi.
- https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2054595
- The event is based on the theme of ‘Montreal Protocol: Advancing Climate Action’
- Ms. Leena Nandan, the Union Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change also spoke at the event.
- She highlighted the need for Ozone Protection as Global Warming is killing us day by day.
- She also highlighted other initiatives like Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) and the initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’.
- The winners of the National level slogan and poster competition were announced. The dedicated web portal received 4187 posters and 1299 slogan entries.
Model of International Cooperation
The Montreal Protocol began as a means of protecting and healing the ozone layer. It has performed its role effectively over the past three decades. The ozone layer is in the process of regenerating. The collaboration established by the Montreal Protocol is precisely what is needed now to address climate change, a significant threat to our communities.
António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations said, “The Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment show us that by acting together, anything is possible. So let us act now to slow climate change, feed the world’s hungry and protect the planet that we all depend on.”
World Ozone Day 2024 Impact
The Vienna Convention and its Montreal Protocol unified the world to reduce the gases responsible for creating a hole in the planet’s ozone layer. The ozone layer is critical in shielding all living beings against deadly UV radiation. Such cooperation has a positive impact, putting the ozone layer on the path of recovery and safeguarding human and ecosystem health.
The ozone treaties play a significant role in this effort, mainly through the Kigali Amendment of the Montreal protocol. 137 nations have backed the Kigali Amendment, which, if fully implemented, will prevent 0.4°C of global warming.
The Atmosphere and Ozone Layer
Our small blue and green planet is perhaps the only one in the solar system, and probably the galaxy, where life exists. According to modern science, life exists in a roughly 15 km thick spherical shell known as the biosphere. It consists of three layers – the atmosphere (air), the hydrosphere (water), and the lithosphere (rock and soil) – where humans, animals, microbes, and plants exist.
■ Also Read: World Earth Day: Theme, Quotes, Celebration, Importance
The atmosphere consists of a mixture of gasses and particles that surround our planet; when viewed from elevation, the atmosphere appears as a thin seam of dark blue light on the curved horizon. The atmosphere expands some hundred kilometers in layers that surround the Earth-like rings. However, 99% of its mass is contained within two regions: the inner troposphere and the outer Stratosphere, both within the first 50 km above the Earth’s surface.
What Is Ozone or Ozone Layer?
Oxygen happens in the atmosphere as single oxygen atoms (O), as two oxygen atoms (O2), and as three oxygen atoms called Ozone (O3). The ozone layer, as an invisible filter, protects our planet from the sun’s damaging UV (ultraviolet) rays. Ozone absorbs nearly all incoming UV radiation and prevents it from reaching the surface of Earth. The protective effect of ozone allows life to exists on Earth.
What Is Ultraviolet Radiation?
Ultraviolet radiation is radiant energy from the sun. The sun emits electromagnetic spectrum. Higher the energetic radiation, the shorter the wavelength. Ultraviolet is invisible and occurs next to violet in the visible light spectrum. The three types of UV radiation are:
- UV-A between 320 and 400 nm
- UV-B between 280 and 320 nm
- UV-C between 200 and 280 nm
UV-B & UV-C are highly energetic and dangerous to life on Earth. UV-A is less energetic and not harmful. UV-C is absorbed by oxygen and by ozone in the upper atmosphere. The ozone layer absorbs UV-B in the Stratosphere that enables about 2-3 percent to reach the Earth’s surface. In this way, the Ozone layer is crucial to plant and animal life on Earth. Depletion of the Ozone layer would increase UV-B and UV-C radiation on Earth, leading to hazardous effects.
What Is Ozone Depletion?
Ozone depletion occurs when the stratospheric ozone production rate is lower than the rate of destruction. Scientific reports suggest that the release of Chlorine and the Bromine are the leading cause of a net loss of stratospheric ozone. It is evident from the Antarctic ozone ‘hole’ and seasonal declines in global ozone levels.
What are the major uses of Ozone?
Ozone is used as an antiseptic and disinfectant, for water purification, air purification, food processing and medical treatments.
How can we protect the Ozone layer?
By minimizing the use of cars and other fuel based vehicles, by maintenance of our air conditioning units, less use of CFCs and more of environmentally friendly products.
Who discovered the Ozone layer?
The ozone layer was discovered by Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson in 1913.
What is the color of ozone?
In the gaseous state the colour of ozone is slightly blue because it reflects blue color and absorbs all other colors.
How important is the ozone layer?
Ozone layer is very important to the entire mankind as it protects us from the harmful UV radiation coming from the Sun.
What is Ozone pollution?
Ozone pollution refers to the depletion of Ozone layers by the use of CFCs and other dangerous gaseous compounds, both directly and indirectly.
What is an Antarctic Hole?
The ‘Ozone Hole’ refers to the rapid depletion of ozone molecules, though a mammoth part still remains. The Antarctic ‘Ozone Hole’ occurs annually between September and November. It became alarming when ozone concentrations over Halley Bay, Antarctica, had declined 40% from levels during the 1960s. Scientists have noticed significant depletion since the late 1970s. UNEP has assessed the impacts of ozone depletion on human health, animals, plants, microorganisms, materials, and air quality.
Effects on Human and Animal Health
UV-B radiation has a profound impact on human health with potential risks of eye diseases, skin cancer, and infectious diseases. UV radiation has a severely adverse effect on the eye cornea and lens. Its negative impact on the immune system increases the risk of infectious diseases and development of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (NMSC).
Effects on Terrestrial Plants and Aquatic Ecosystems
UV-B radiation affects the plants’ developmental process. UV-B hampers the early developmental stages of fish, shrimp, crab, amphibians, and other animals and their reproductive abilities, harming larval growth.
Effects on Bio-Geo-Chemical Cycles
Increased UV radiation can affect terrestrial and aquatic biogeochemical cycles. Enhanced UV-B affects aquatic nitrogen cycling through inhibition of nitrifying bacteria and photodecomposition of simple inorganic species such as nitrate. It may also affect the marine sulfur cycle resulting in possible changes in the sea-to-air emissions of COS and dimethyl sulfide (DMS), two gases that are degraded to sulfate aerosols in the Stratosphere and troposphere, respectively.
Effects on Air Quality
Increased penetration of UV-B radiation (due to reduced stratospheric ozone) leads to high photo-dissociation rates of essential trace gases. These gases control the chemical reactivity of the troposphere. It may increase both formation and destruction of ozone and related oxidants like hydrogen peroxide.
The oxidants have harmful effects on human health, terrestrial plants, and outdoor materials. Variations in the hydroxyl radicals (OH) may alter the atmospheric lifetimes of crucial gases such as methane and CFC substitutes. Increased tropospheric reactivity starts to enhance the formation of particulate matter such as cloud condensation nuclei.
Effects on Materials
Increased levels of UV radiation are known to have harmful effects on synthetic polymers and biopolymers. UV-B radiation speeds up the photodegradation levels of these substances, thus restricting their life expectancy. It causes discoloration and loss of mechanical integrity.
The chlorine radicals can undergo complex chemical reactions generating chlorine monoxide, which attacks an ozone molecule converting it into oxygen and, in the process, regenerating the chlorine atom again. Thus, the ozone-destroying effect is catalytic, and a small amount of CFC would be destroying a large number of ozone molecules.
Unleash The Power Of True Worship Through Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj
The entire world looks to the scientific community for solutions to any crisis. The people ignore the fact that The Supreme God Kabir made all the universes and creatures. The Supreme can do everything, so why not turn to Him for corrective measures?
The Supreme God Kabir has given us a far better opportunity than our ancestors by initiating a Bhakti Yug in which we can understand the value of True Worship. He has done this through His sole messenger, Tatvdarshi Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj from Haryana, India. The readers must read the Sacred Book Gyan Ganga and listen to Sermons of Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj at Satlok Ashram YouTube Channel to discover the mystery about the creation of the universe. Additionally, understand how true worship given by Supreme God Kabir can benefit mankind.
World Ozone Day 2024 Quotes
- The world looks at the scientists, why not pray to The Supreme God who made Science? – Saint Rampal Ji
- Understand the Essence of Word that made everything – Saint Rampal Ji
- The Supreme God made Oxygen and Ozone, He will protect you, just know Him – Saint Rampal Ji
- “The ozone layer, a fragile shield of gas, protects the Earth from the harmful portion of the rays of the sun, thus helping preserve life on the planet” ~un.org
- “Ozone constitutes a very small part of our atmosphere, but its presence is nevertheless vital to human well-being”~un.org
FAQ on World Ozone Day 2024
Answer: UN General Assembly in 1994 declared 16th September as World Ozone Day.
Answer: It is because, it is the same date when Montreal Protocol was launched in the year 1987 that led to the formation of the day.
Answer: Ozone layer lies in between 15km to 30km above earth surface and is around the periphery of the entire earth.
Answer: Ozone Hole is exactly above Antarctica. It is the process of thinning of the ozone layer in the stratosphere.
Answer: Chlorine and Bromine
