International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer

  International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is celebrated on September 16 designed by the United Nations General Assembly. This designation had been made on December 19, 2000, in commemoration of the date, in 1987, on which nations signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer  

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Information on the state of the ozone layer and measure from the damaging ultraviolet radiation.

The World Meteorological Organization has issued its annual WMO Ozone and UV Bulletin, with information on the state of the ozone layer and on measures to protect human health and the environment from damaging ultraviolet radiation.

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The Montreal Protocol is rightly hailed as a multilateralism success story.

"Montreal Protocol: Advancing climate action." International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 2024. The Montreal Protocol is rightly hailed as a multilateralism success story. It united the world to phase out ozone-depleting substances putting the ozone layer on the path to recovery and protecting all life on Earth.

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Kigali amendment + energy efficiency cooling = double climate benefits.

"Montreal Protocol: Advancing climate action." International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 2024.

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The Montreal Protocol have slowed global warming delaying the first ice-free Arctic summer by up to 15 years.

Phasing out ozone-depleting substances has proven to be a powerful tool for climate action that has helped slow global warming, for example, postponing the first ice-free Arctic summer by up to 15 years.

"Montreal Protocol: Advancing climate action." International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 2024.

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The cooling sector consumes about 20% of global electricity and is expected to more than double by 2050.

Cooling equipment represents 20% of total electricity consumption today and is expected to more than double by 2050. Kigali Amendment implementation alongside a switch to energy efficient cooling equipment could potentially double these gains! Work has already begun to deliver on these climate action gains.

"Montreal Protocol: Advancing climate action." International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 2024.

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The Kigali Amendment has helped HFCs, potent climate warming gasses.

Through the Kigali Amendment, climate action is being further accelerated. Countries commit to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) – powerful climate-warming gases that replaced ozone-depleting substances in the various sectors.

"Montreal Protocol: Advancing climate action." International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 2024.

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If the Kigali amendment is fully implemented it could prevent up to 0.5% of warming by 2100.

"Montreal Protocol: Advancing climate action." International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 2024.

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Temperature-dependent emissions dominate aerosol and ozone formation in Los Angeles.

Despite declines in transportation emissions, urban North America and Europe still face unhealthy air pollution levels. This has challenged conventional understanding of the sources of their volatile organic compound (VOC) precursors. Using airborne flux measurements to map emissions of a wide range of VOCs, we demonstrate that biogenic terpenoid emissions contribute ~60% of emitted VOC OH reactivity, ozone, and secondary organic aerosol formation potential in summertime Los Angeles and that this contribution strongly increases with temperature. This implies that control of nitrogen oxides is key to reducing ozone formation in Los Angeles. We also show some anthropogenic VOC emissions increase with temperature, which is an effect not represented in current inventories. Air pollution mitigation efforts must consider that climate warming will strongly change emission amounts and composition.

Read the full research article!

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2023 ozone hole ranks 12th largest on record, find NOAA and NASA.

Hunga-Tonga eruption likely contributed to this year's ozone depletion.

NOAA scientists launch a weather balloon carrying an ozonesonde at the South Pole on October 1, 2023

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Ozone layer recap – the hole story in brief.

The ozone layer is an important part of our atmosphere, absorbing almost all of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Long-term exposure to high levels of UV-B, or any exposure to UV-C, is harmful to human health and damaging to most animals, plants and microbes. In short, the ozone layer plays a crucial role in protecting all life on Earth.

In the 1970s, scientists first hypothesised that the ozone molecules (O3) which form the ozone layer could be destroyed by the chlorine from chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), man-made chemicals which were used in thousands of products around the world, from air-conditioners and refrigerators to aerosol sprays, asthma inhalers and building insulation.

Over the following years, evidence supporting their concerns grew and when scientists discovered a hole in the ozone layer above the Antarctic in the mid-1980s, the international community was spurred into action. The Montreal Protocol was signed in 1987, with the explicit aim of protecting the ozone layer by phasing out ODS.

To this day, the Montreal Protocol is the only United Nations environmental treaty to be ratified by every country in the world and it is defined by a catalogue of successes:

99 per cent of the ODS controlled under the Protocol have been phased out

the ozone layer is recovering and, if the Protocol continues to be fully implemented, should return to 1980 levels by 2066

hundreds of millions of people worldwide will be protected from skin cancers and eye cataracts, resulting in about $1.8 trillion in global health benefits

as ODS are potent greenhouse gases, their phase-out has already avoided hundreds of billions of tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent emissions

in 2016, the Montreal Protocol formally became a climate treaty with the adoption of the Kigali Amendment, a global agreement to phase down production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). HFCs do not deplete ozone but are climate-harming gases used as substitutes for ODS. Successful implementation of the Kigali Amendment will avoid up to a half a degree of warming by the end of the century.

The Montreal Protocol has done much over the past 36 years to secure its crown as the world’s most successful environmental treaty, but while its success deserves to be celebrated, its work is far from done.

The spirit of increasing ambition that has put the recovery of our ozone layer back on track, and has taken action to limit the climate impact of HFCs, now needs to be reinvigorated once more to address the next set of challenges lining up against it.

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The Antarctic – is it still an ozone no-go zone?

A hole in the ozone layer does still appear above the Antarctic each year, but thanks to the Montreal Protocol it has been slowly improving since the year 2000.

The hole in the ozone layer appears during the Antarctic springtime because extreme cold and strong winds create a polar vortex over the region. This speeds up the mechanism by which the ODS present in the stratosphere destroy ozone. In years where these conditions last longer than average, ozone depletion will also last longer – a potential cause for the unusually large and persistent ozone holes we have seen in the last few years, including in 2023.

This year’s early appearance of the ozone hole (which has now stabilised at around the 1990-2010 average) might also be linked to the 2022 eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano, which injected an unprecedented amount of water vapour into the atmosphere, possibly speeding up the chemical processes that cause ozone depletion.

While the past few years have reminded us that we can’t be complacent about ozone recovery, we need to be clear that they don’t imply that the Montreal Protocol is not working. On the contrary, the ozone holes we have seen in recent years would have been much worse without the Protocol and the ozone layer is still on track to recover.

Over the Antarctic, the ozone layer is expected to recover to its 1980 levels (before the appearance of the ozone hole) by about 2066. In other places, recovery is expected even sooner.

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Looking to the future – an ozone hole or an ozone whole?

The Montreal Protocol is often hailed as the world’s most successful environmental treaty. It has earned that status through consistently increasing ambition, by accelerating the pace of the ODS phase-out and expanding in scope to address HFCs.

EIA has a long history with the Montreal Protocol and we want to see its legacy of increasing ambition continue, which is why we’re working to make sure it is further strengthened, to ensure both swift ozone recovery and maximum climate benefits.

Below, we discuss some of the major challenges affecting ozone recovery today and, importantly, what EIA plans to do about them.

EIA’s ambitions – strengthening the Montreal Protocol

• Feedstocks: The term ‘feedstocks’ refers to substances that undergo a chemical transformation during the process of making other chemicals. The production, use and disposal of feedstocks results in harmful emissions, but ODS and HFC production for feedstock use is exempt from Montreal Protocol controls. That’s because it was previously thought that feedstocks only produced insignificant emissions, something a growing body of scientific evidence is proving to be wrong.

Data from the Montreal Protocol’s assessment panels suggest that feedstock emissions totalled about 145 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent in 2019 alone; that’s more than the total annual greenhouse gas emissions of a lot of countries! And since the most widely produced feedstocks are ODS, these emissions are slowing down ozone recovery.

It is therefore imperative that Parties agree measures to reduce industrial emissions from the production and use of feedstocks.

• Banks: The stores of ODS and HFCs contained in existing equipment (fridges, air-conditioning units, etc) are known as ‘banks’. Historically, there has been no obligation under the Protocol for countries to address the substantial emissions being released by banks.

Currently, banks are releasing about 150 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions every year, representing a clear risk to both the climate and the ozone layer. In fact, recent studies have warned that emissions from banks of ozone-destroying CFCs alone could potentially delay Antarctic ozone hole recovery by about six years!

EIA is pushing for a global framework to recover and destroy ODS and HFC banks, which we believe should include a key role for the Montreal Protocol.

• Strengthening MRV+E: Monitoring, reporting, verification and enforcement (MRV+E) are at the core of what has made the Montreal Protocol a success. These are the processes that allow bans to be enforced, illegal trade to be shut down and progress to be tracked.

But with the 2018 revelation that CFC-11 was being illegally produced and used in eastern China (potentially delaying polar ozone recovery by up to three years), the need to strengthen MRV+E processes was thrown into sharp focus.

Fortunately, countries are now discussing how to strengthen the Montreal Protocol, and EIA is continuing to call for a comprehensive review of its MRV+E processes.

EIA’s ambitions – the ‘forgotten’ ODS

• Nitrous oxide (N2O): Nitrous oxide (N2O) is the most significant ODS in the world today. It is also the third most important greenhouse gas, after CO2 and methane. This means that N2O emissions simultaneously undermine both the recovery of the ozone layer, and global efforts to limit warming. Despite this, N2O is not subject to any controls under the Montreal Protocol and it is almost entirely overlooked in countries’ nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Paris Agreement.

N2O already contributed 0.1°C to global average warming between 2010-19 and, in terms of ozone depletion, emissions in 2020 alone were equivalent to more than 20 per cent of all CFC emissions in the year they peaked. Left unchecked, N2O emissions could double by 2050, presenting a serious threat to the recovery of the ozone layer.

In the past four decades, anthropogenic (human-caused) N2O emissions have increased by 30 per cent. The largest source of these emissions is agriculture, which accounts for about two-thirds of all human-produced N2O emissions, but other important sources include industry, transport, biomass burning and waste water.

There are a number of options and several potential venues that might be used to tackle N2O emissions, but clearly the Montreal Protocol, as the ozone treaty, will play an important role.

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99% of ozone depleting chemicals have been plased out.

This year’s World Ozone Day (WOD) theme – Montreal Protocol: fixing the ozone layer and reducing climate change – reminds us of our responsibility to continue building on the considerable ozone and climate benefits already achieved under the Montreal Protocol through the phase-out of ozone depleting substances

 MONTREAL PROTOCOL: Fixing the ozone layer and reducing climate change.

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10% of all global electricity consumed is for cooling.

Benefits of cooling efficiency and the Kigali Amendment.

Action under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Destroy the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol) will phase-down the production and use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and could avoid up to 0.4°C of global warming by 2100.

In a warming world, prosperity and civilization depend more on access to cooling.i The growing demand for cooling will contribute significantly to climate change. This is from both the emissions of HFCs and other refrigerants and CO2 and black carbon emissions from the mostly fossil fuel-based energy powering air conditioners and other cooling equipment.

These emissions are particularly dominant during periods of peak power demand, which are increasingly determined by demand for air conditioning. As the climate warms, the growing demand for cooling is creating more warming in a destructive feedback loop.

By combining energy efficiency improvements with the transition away from super-polluting refrigerants, the world could avoid cumulative greenhouse gas emissions of up to 210-460 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) over the next four decades, depending on future rates of decarbonisation. This is roughly equal to 4-8 years of total annual global greenhouse gas emissions, based on 2018 levels.

Cooling Emissions and Policy Synthesis Report.

Climate-friendly cooling could cut years of greenhouse gas emissions and save trillions of dollars - News - IEA

Climate-friendly cooling could cut years of greenhouse gas emissions and save trillions of dollars - News from the International Energy Agen

WORLD OZONE DAY 2023 Theme: MONTREAL PROTOCOL: Fixing the ozone layer and reducing climate change.

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Nearly 80% of all Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) globally are used for cooling.

Ratify Montreal Protocol’s Kigali Amendment.

What are Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)?

WORLD OZONE DAY 2023 - MONTREAL PROTOCOL: Fixing the ozone layer and reducing climate change.

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Some HFCs are 1000s of time warming than CO2.

Fixing the ozone layer and reducing climate change. World Ozone Day 2023;

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Materials for use in World Ozone Day celebrations.

Regional Art Contests: The regional contests in Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean were designed to increase public awareness of the Montreal Protocol and theKigali Amendment to protect the ozone layer and combat accelerated climate change.

The Artwork of the winners of the Latin America and the Caribbean art contest organized between October 2022 – March 2023, may be used in other regions for awareness purposes. The artwork is available at: The Planet is Your Canvas

The Artwork of the winners of the Asia Pacific Regional Ozone2Climate Art contest organized between September 2021 – March 2022, can also be used by other regions for awareness purposes. The artwork is available at the Hall of Fame. These are suitable for outreach to the public.

How to set up and manage logbooks or refrigeration, air-conditioning, heat pump and other types of equipment: This technical brief reflects the Polish experience of setting up and managing logbooks for refrigeration, air-conditioning, heat pump (RACHP) and other typesof equipment. It also provides examples of similar equipment databases used in other developed and developing countries. This is suitable for outreach to the RAC servicing technicians and RAC associations.

Watch out for Illegal Trade of HCFCs and HFCs: Lessons learnt from the Global Montreal Protocol Award for Customs and Enforcement Officers. This publication provides an analysis of the cases submitted in the context of the Global Montreal Protocol Award for Customs and Enforcement Officers. This is suitable for outreach to the Customs and enforcement community.

Considerations for Establishing National HFC Quota System: The Parties to the Kigali Amendment need to establish a mechanism to effectively control the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a group of greenhouse gases that are controlled under the Montreal Protocol. Like the hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) phase-out, an effective quota system can play a vital role in assisting Parties to be in compliance with their HFC consumption targets. This is suitable for outreach to NOU staff, other government agencies and other stakeholders involved in the licensing and quotas process.

Five Posters on the Kigali Amendment: OzonAction developed five related posters for different target audiences, with the following slogans: 1. Let´s change this; 2. Make the right decision; 3. Let´s continue working for our planet; 4. For an increasingly sustainable planet; and Keep them cool without warming the planet. The posters are available in English, French, Russian and Spanish. This is suitable for outreach to the general public and the key Montreal Protocol stakeholders

Every Action Counts: Kigali Amendment: This brochure targets the general public and explains in a simplified manner what the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment signify. It includes some actions that everybody can do to support the Kigali Amendment. It also covers the relationship between the Kigali Amendment and Sustainable Development Goals. It introduces some examples of successful communication campaigns on the Kigali Amendment. This is suitable for outreach to the general public and the key Montreal Protocol stakeholders.

Women in Cooling: A Worldwide Survey: To better understand the background, motivation, challenges, and opportunities faced by women working in RACHP a worldwide survey was undertaken by the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) and UNEP OzonAction in cooperation with several partners. This is suitable for outreach to RAC servicing technicians, RAC associations, education and training stakeholders, Government gender departments, and the general public.

Gender Mainstreaming in the Montreal Protocol: Experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean: OzonAction in Latin America and the Caribbean has prepared this publication contextualizing the international legal framework and the instruments available regarding rights, gender, and equality aspects, in order to give visibility to the actions, good practices and progress achieved in a non-exhaustive group of countries of the region. This is suitable for outreach to the general public, the key Montreal Protocol stakeholders, Other government agencies, Government gender departments, and the general public.

Poster on Gender Mainstreaming in Montreal Protocol: OzonAction has developed a poster on gender mainstreaming which is available in English, French and Spanish. This is suitable for outreach to the general public and the key Montreal Protocol stakeholders