Last Updated on 15 September 2023 IST | World Ozone Day 2023 | World ozone day is one of those international observances which aims at preserving depletion of the ozone layer. Further it also aims at highlighting and making people aware about the international efforts which are made to decrease ozone depletion. The ozone layer is one of those things which are vital for the survival of mankind. Hence understanding the importance of the day is also important. Let us know carefully about the particulars of the day in detail.
World Ozone Day 2023 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 making people more and more aware 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 2023 is “Montreal Protocol@35: global cooperation protecting life on earth”.
- 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 is nurturing everything everywhere. By obtaining His refuge one attains peace and happiness in its life.
What is World Ozone Day?
The world community is celebrating “World Ozone Day” (WOD) on September 16, 2023. It is the day to mark the completion of 35 years of the Montreal Protocol for the protection of the ozone layer. Today everyone recognizes the importance of the ozone layer and how it helps to protect humans and other beings from harmful UV radiation emitted by the sun.
When is World Ozone Day 2023?
On September 16 World Ozone Day is commemorated every year to spread awareness among people about the depletion of the Ozone Layer and find solutions to preserve it.
History of World Ozone Day
- It was agreed and formalized by 28 nations on 22 March 1985 in the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer to adopt a mechanism to stop continuous depletion of ozone layer.
- Then in 1987 Montreal Protocol was drafted which aimed at banning the 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?
As per 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. This way, the Montreal Protocol helped the ozone layer healing. UNEP predicts the ozone layer to return to pre-1980 values by mid-century.
■ Also Read: Climate Change Solutions: Climate Change Has Become a Serious Concern for Humanity
Further, the Kigali Amendment came into force in 2019 in support of the Protocol. As per the Kigali Amendment, the world community will work towards reducing hydrofluorocarbon (HFCs), greenhouse gases with powerful climate-warming potential, and damaging 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 exercises 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 2023?
The theme for World Ozone Day 2023 is the “Montreal Protocol@35: global cooperation protecting life on earth”. This year’s theme aims at celebrating the successful completion of 35 years of Montreal Protocol. And also aims at urging global contribution in protecting our Earth as it is the most valuable resource to mankind.
India’s MoEFCC Celebrates World Ozone Day 2023
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate and Department of Environment and Climate change has organised a programme for World Ozone Day 2023 at Mumbai, Maharashtra from 10am onwards. The particulars involved in the program are as follows:
- Visit to Industrial exhibition and entries of school children competition.
- The release of the 24th edition of “The Montreal Protocol: India’s Success Story”.
- Official release of the short film upon India’s Cooling Action Plan.
- Release of Publications
- Address by Guest of Honour Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey (Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Environment, Forest and Climate Change), Guest of Honor Shri Devendra Fadnavis (Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra) and Guest of Honor Shri Eknath Shinde (Chief Minister of Maharashtra)
- Address by Honourable Chief Guest Shri Bhupender Yadav (Union Cabinet Minister of Labour and Employment, Environment, Forest and Climate Change).
- Further the programme will be ended by Vote of thanks, National Anthem and then Lunch.
Model of International Cooperation
The Montreal Protocol started out life as a means of protecting and healing the ozone layer. It has done its job well over the past three decades. The ozone layer is in the process of being regenerated. The partnership under the Montreal Protocol is exactly what is needed now to address climate change, which is a 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 2023 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 proves a positive impact to put the ozone layer on the road to recovery, safeguarding human and ecosystem health.
The ozone treaties have a significant role to play in this work, mainly through the Kigali Amendment of the Montreal protocol. 137 nations have backed the Kigali Amendment and, fully implemented, will prevent 0.4°C of global warming.
The Atmosphere and Ozone Layer
The small blue and green planet is perhaps the only one in the solar system and probably in the galaxy where life exists. According to the belief of modern science, life exists in a about 15 km deep spherical shell known as the biosphere. It is into 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 gases and particles that surround our planet; upon seeing from elevation, the atmosphere appears as a thin seam of dark blue light on a curved horizon. The atmosphere expands some hundred kilometers in layers that surround the Earth-like rings. Though, 99% of its overall mass remains in two regions, the inner troposphere and the outer Stratosphere 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 entering UV radiation and inhibits it from reaching the surface of Earth. It is the protective effect of ozone that allows life to happen 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 & C is 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. This way, the Ozone layer is valuable to plant and animal life on Earth. The 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 lesser than the 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 international 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 is the depletion of Ozone layers by the use of CFCs and other such dangerous gaseous compounds directly and indirectly by us.
What is an Antarctic Hole?
The “Ozone Hole” means the massive and fast decline in a large number of ozone molecules, but of course, still, a big part is left. The Antarctic “Ozone Hole” happens from September to November. It became alarming when ozone concentrations over Halley Bay, Antarctica, had declined 40% from levels during the 1960s. Scientists have noticed terrible 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 tremendously adverse effect on the eye cornea and lens. Its adverse impact on the immune system causes several infectious diseases and develops nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC).
Effects on Terrestrial Plants and Aquatic Ecosystems
UV-B radiation affects the plants’ developmental process. UV-B hampers the early development stages of fish, shrimp, crab, amphibians, and other animals and their generative ability and harms 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
Higher penetration of UV-B radiation (due to reduced stratospheric ozone) results in higher photo-dissociation rates of crucial 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 adverse effects on human health, terrestrial plants, and outdoor materials. Variations in the hydroxyl radical (OH) may alter the atmospheric lifetimes of crucial gases such as methane and Chloro Fluoro Carbons (CFCs) 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 adverse 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 to 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.
Pray to the Supreme God, the Creator of Science to Eliminate All Problems
The whole world looks at the scientific community for the resolution of 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 should one not urge 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 Tatvdarshi Saint 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 of the creation of the universe. Along with know how true worship given by Supreme God Kabir can benefit mankind.
World Ozone Day 2023 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 2023
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
