International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (September 16) was introduced in support of the Montreal Protocol, signed by many governments, environmentalists, industrial enterprises and scientists, which set specific dates when the use of chemicals harmful to the protective layer of ozone on our planet should be stopped. The Montreal Protocol is considered one of the most useful international agreements for saving life on planet Earth.
What is ozone?
Ozone is one of the forms of the existence of oxygen in nature, the chemical formula of this substance is written as the symbol O 3 , that is, three oxygen atoms form ozone due to the single covalent bonds between them. Recall that the oxygen formula that living organisms breathe is O 2 . The oxidizing properties of ozone are stronger than oxygen.
The amount of ozone in the Earth’s atmosphere is very small, but it plays a crucial role for all living things on the planet. Ozone in the atmosphere is distributed unevenly, most of it is in the stratosphere at an altitude of 10-40 km. This layer is called ozone; it contains about 90% of all ozone that exists in the atmosphere.
The role of the ozone layer for life on the planet
To understand why mankind has established the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer of the Earth, consider the role of this chemical compound for organisms.
Stratospheric ozone absorbs most of the spectrum of solar radiation, which has a detrimental effect on the development of biological organisms. This is the positive role of ozone. Ozone in nature is formed in the lower atmosphere, here it also plays a positive role, because it allows you to remove various pollutants from the air.
Ozone hole and harmful chemicals
In 1985, an article appeared in a British journal stating that the thickness of the ozone layer over the icy continent of Antarctica was rapidly declining. This phenomenon has been called the "ozone hole." It is believed that this term was introduced into the scientific world by the American chemist and Nobel laureate Sherwood Rowland. The satellite image of the ozone hole has become a global symbol of the threat to life on the planet and has contributed to the development of appropriate measures in the Montreal Protocol.
One of the main reasons that scientists associate with damage to the ozone layer of our planet is the release of harmful substances into the atmosphere by industrial enterprises. In particular, halocarbonates, chemical compounds in which one or more carbon atoms are connected to one or more halogen atoms (chlorine, iodine, fluorine or bromine), cause enormous damage to the ozone layer. The most dangerous of these for the ozone layer are bromine-containing substances, for example methyl bromide. Chlorine-containing compounds also have a detrimental effect on ozone, for example methyl chloroform.
The emission standards for the above compounds are regulated by the Montreal Protocol. In addition, scientific research and monitoring of the existing situation are constantly carried out in order to adjust methods and methods for solving the problem.
Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol
Scientific evidence of the harmful effects of production emissions on the ozone layer has prompted the world community to cooperate with a view to taking appropriate measures to protect this layer. This decision was formally formalized as part of the Vienna Agreement for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, which was signed on March 22, 1985 by 28 countries.
In mid-September 1987, the Montreal Protocol was signed, which officially limited the emissions of substances harmful to the ozone layer. From this time begin to mark the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. The main objective of this protocol was not only to limit emissions of harmful substances and their consumption in the economy, but also to completely abandon them without tangible harm to the global economy, which is possible using modern scientific achievements.
A protocol signed in Montreal controls the use of about 100 chemical compounds that harm the ozone of the Earth. For each of these compounds, time limits for the gradual reduction in their use are established. Some of these chemicals, which do not find the proper replacement for their specific use, are authorized by the protocol. For example, halogen-containing substances for treating asthma or for extinguishing fires on airplanes and submarines.
In 1994, the UN General Assembly proclaimed the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer on September 16 in honor of the date of the signing of the Protocol in Montreal in 1987.
Protocol execution
In developing and developed countries, the requirements of the Montreal Protocol have been successfully implemented. In some cases, the reduction in the use of harmful substances was even ahead of the set dates. The main attention was paid primarily to chemicals that have a strong harmful effect on the ozone layer, namely the use of such substances should be abandoned in the first place.
The Protocol provides for the complete cessation of the use of harmful substances until 2030 for developed countries and until 2040 for developing countries. Due to the urgency of the ozone layer problem in 2007, the terms for refusing to use certain harmful substances were revised downwards.
Caring for all life forms on Earth
Joint international efforts have already made it possible to significantly reduce the use of harmful chemicals in the economy for the ozone layer of the planet. These efforts are also aimed at maintaining human health and the ecosystems of the planet by reducing the intensity of ultraviolet radiation incident on the surface of the Earth.
In honor of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Montreal Protocol on the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer in 2017, the motto was proclaimed: “We are all heroes!”, Because for the first time in 30 years the ozone hole has ceased to increase in size and now we can speak about its gradual restoration soon.
Public awareness
The ozone layer protects all living organisms on planet Earth, so any problem associated with its destruction is global in nature. This means that it is only possible to solve such a problem effectively together. Dissemination of information among the population about the important role of the ozone layer for life, about the dangers of solar radiation, about existing agreements governing the issue of the ozone layer, is a priority.
To solve this problem, schools in many countries of the world hold classroom hours on the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, where teachers provide students with the necessary information in an accessible form. In order to attract the interest of schoolchildren, a number of schools hold relevant events. So, quizzes dedicated to the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, which inform schoolchildren about serious environmental problems in the form of exciting games and competitions with prizes and gifts, fulfill the task set for them 100%.