Antarctic Ozone Hole Appears Early in 2007 - UN
Date: 29-Aug-07
Country: SWITZERLAND
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said it would
not be clear for several weeks whether the ozone hole, which is
expected to continue growing until early October, would be
larger than its record size in 2006.
"It is still too early to give a definitive statement about
the development of this year's ozone hole and the degree of
ozone loss that will occur. This will, to a large extent, depend
on the meteorological conditions," the Geneva-based agency said.
The ozone layer shields the earth from damaging ultra-violet
rays that can cause skin cancer.
While use of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) has
waned, the WMO said large amounts of chlorine and bromine remain
in the atmosphere and would likely keep causing holes in the
protective layer for years to come.
"Although ozone-depleting substances are now declining
slowly, there is no sign that the Antarctic ozone hole is
getting smaller," it said in a report.
The WMO and the UN Environment Programme have said the
ozone layer would likely return to pre-1980 levels by 2049 over
much of Europe, North America, Asia, Australasia, Latin America
and Africa. But in Antarctica, the agencies said, ozone layer
recovery would likely be delayed until 2065.
Geir Braathen, a senior scientific officer with the WMO's
atmospheric research and environment programme, said the ozone
hole may reach the southern tip of South America in 2007.
