Ozone Hole: This is one of the worst environmental news where a new ozone hole in the tropical region has been found. As per an estimate, it could result half of the population to face an increased ultraviolet radiation.
As per a study published by Qing-Bin Lu, a scientist from the University of Waterloo, a huge and all season ozone hole has been spotted over the tropics. It has been into existence since 1980.
The study has further revealed that this tropical ozone hole has a depth to the springtime Antarctic hole and having area up to 7 times higher.
Further analysis of this study has revealed that each decade from 1960-2010, a deep and larger ozone hole was into the existence. By 2010, the ozone hole became slightly smaller.
You might be wandering how scientists discovered this ozone hole after so many decades have passed. Well, the new ozone hole throughout the tropical region went undetected because a lower amount of ozone is distributed in lower stratosphere. This is the reason why declining ozone levels went undetected.
In addition to the above, tropical ozone layer exist in different stratosphere region as compared to the polar holes.
It has been noted that high amount of UV (Ultra Violet) rays travel through thin regions of the outer layer of ozone which is not good and hazardous to human health.
As per UN estimate, Montreal Protocol has prevented hundreds of additional cases of diseases like eye cataracts, melanoma and other cancer types.
The Montreal Protocol which is basically an agreement signed by 197 countries in the year 1987 to regulate and ban substances that deplete ozone layer has effectively reduced ODS (ozone-depleting substances) emissions.
The study has further revealed that tropical ozone hole closely proportionate with the levels of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are a type of ODS. This is the evidence that defines how ozone thinning originated from a CFC-related mechanism.
In spite of the already banned CFC substances, scientists are constantly finding new emission sources of such CFCs.
For example, the monitoring stations of regions like South Korea and Japan has detected huge amount of CFCs released in parts of China in 2019 from factories and various manufacturing units.
Please note that exposure to an enhanced level of UV (Ultraviolet Rays) is likely to cause the incidence of medical conditions like cataracts, weaken human immune systems, skin cancer, and more.
Additionally, these rays can affect in such a way that can lead to a decreased agricultural output. At the same time, this can adversely affect hundreds of aquatic organisms living in their ecosystem.
Also Read: Over 200 Medical Journals Call for Urgent Action On Severe Climate Change
Source: Theweathernetwork.com
