The earth's ozone layer. Some Good News

[Michaelangelica]

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/425824/820200

The earth's ozone layer is finally on the mend after decades of damage, two UN agencies report.

 

However, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) said the protective layer, which filters dangerous solar radiation, was recovering more slowly than experts had originally hoped.

 

Over huge areas of Europe, North America and Asia in the northern hemisphere and over southern Australasia, Latin America and Africa, the layer would be back to pre-1980 levels by 2049, the agencies said.

 

This was five years later than forecast in the last major scientific report in 2002.

 

The agencies' message came in an official summary of a report by 250 scientists to be issued next year on the effects of the 1987 Montreal Protocol, which committed signatory nations progressively to ban the use of ozone-harmful products.

 

"The early signs that the atmosphere is healing demonstrate that the Montreal Protocol is working," said Achim Steiner, executive director of UNEP.

 

"But the delayed recovery is a warning that we cannot take the ozone layer for granted and must maintain and accelerate our efforts to phase out harmful chemicals," he said in a statement issued in Geneva and Nairobi.

[LJP07]

With that news, it might be good to add, even though I mentioned this in another thread, that the Ozone Layer over Antarctica is also healing and should be closed by 2065, I'll get a link later on.

 

Nice to see progress.

[Oriana]

Good news for those of us that live right under the holes. :D

[Mercedes Benzene]

They've made the hole in the ozone layer such a large issue over the past few years.

It's good to know that things are finally being corrected.

[Jay-qu]

They've made the hole in the ozone layer such a large issue over the past few years.

It's good to know that things are finally being corrected.

now what about that global warming thing..

[Mercedes Benzene]

now what about that global warming thing..

 

Hmmm... good point. I forgot about that one. :)

My guess is that the rate at which global warming increases should begin to subside soon. The world seems to understand the problem.... they just need to work a little harder at fixing it.

That's how we started to fix the ozone layer. Understanding the problem leads to action. Action leads to progress. Progress leads to success.

[Jay-qu]

yeah when the water starts flooding a few cities then the politicions will turn to the scienctists and ask for an answer.. and we will say 'well if you listened to us 10 years ago it would have been easier...' :)

[Michaelangelica]

Pity, the Earth wasn't in a party mood ?

I thought these were fun (as long as you kept them away from naked flames)

Confetti string products pulled by EPA

Posted on September 5, 2006

 

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered five retail chains to pull cans of illegally imported confetti string products.

 

The products contain banned hydrochlorofluorocarbons, the EPA said in a statement Tuesday.

 

"These substances deplete the earth's protective stratospheric ozone layer and increase the risk of skin cancer," EPA said. "Millions of cans of these novelty items, all imported from China or Taiwan and known by various names such as Zany String, Crazy String and Party Streamer have been sold illegally in the United States.

http://www.market-day.net/article_23732/20060905/Confetti-string-products-pulled-by-EPA.php