The Impact of Ozone-Layer Depletion

The ozone layer that has shielded the Earth from damaging ultraviolet radiation is diminishing due to the use of ozone-layer depleting substances such as CFCs.

On the basis of phase-out dates laid down in the Montreal Protocol, it will take until around 2130 for these man-made compounds to disappear from the atmosphere.

The effects of the thinning ozone layer include health problems such as skin cancer and cataracts, damage to marine food chains and crops, and the potential for increased global warming.

Since the ozone hole over Antarctica was discovered, international scientific and political recognition of this problem has been encouraging.