The ozone layer is an important part of the Earth’s atmosphere that absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun. After alarm over the loss of the ozone layer in the 1980s, governments signed the Montreal protocol in 1987, an international agreement that has helped eliminate 99% of ozone-depleting chemicals, such as chlorofluorocarbons that were used as solvents and refrigerants.
Since then, scientists have been monitoring levels of CFCs in the atmosphere and ozone depletion. This week, a UN report found that it is set to be completely healed by 2066. Madeleine Finlay speaks to Paul Newman, the chief scientist for earth sciences at Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Centre, about how this was achieved and what it means for the climate crisis.
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