SDG 13: Climate Action | SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
Institution: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
A recent UNEP story details how scientists continue monitoring the ozone layerβs recovery, even as much of the world has moved on from the fear of an expanding βhole.β Despite global bans, ozone-depleting substances (ODS) still enter the atmosphere through residual leaks, old stockpiles, and some feedstock uses. Monitoring labs, like NOAAβs, collect thousands of air samples annually from multiple locations around the world, using highly sensitive instruments capable of detecting ODS at incredibly low concentrations. Projections show that, provided no major new emissions occur, the ozone layer is likely to recover to pre-1980 levels by around 2066 over Antarctica, and by 2040-2045 for much of the rest of the world. Experts stress that vigilance must continue to ensure this recovery path remains.
Ozone layer health is not just an environmental issue, it has direct implications for human health (skin cancer, cataracts), ecosystems, and agriculture (via UV exposure). The work of tracking, detecting, and verifying emissions is central to enforcing the Montreal Protocol and enabling evidence-based interventions. Policymakers must ensure that regulatory oversight, international cooperation, and scientific capacity remain strong so that recovery does not stall due to new or re-emergent sources of ODS.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
What regulatory and institutional systems should countries maintain or strengthen to promptly detect and respond to new emissions of ozone-depleting substances, and how can data from monitoring labs be made more transparent, accessible, and actionable?
Follow the full news here: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/inside-effort-track-health-ozone-layer