The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, also known as World Ozone Day, is celebrated on the 16th of September every year. The theme for World Ozone Day 2018 is “Montreal Protocol - keeping us, our food and vaccines cool.”.
EFFECTS OF OZONE DEPLETION
‘Ozone hole’ is caused by depletion of the protective ozone layer in the stratosphere over Earth’s polar region. This leads to melting of polar caps, and subsequently a rise in sea level. In addition to this, following are some of the harmful effects caused due to ozone depletion:
Human health
- Increased risk of skin cancer
- Increased risk of cataract, eye disease and blindness
- Weakening of immune system
Plant health
- Suppression of plant growth
- Alteration of photosynthetic process
- Adverse effect on anatomical features and pigmentation
- Loss of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil
Aquatic ecosystems/ Marine life
- Biodiversity loss
- Marine ecosystem is affected when UV-B destroys phytoplankton which are the foundation of aquatic food webs.
Biogeochemical cycles
- Alters both sources and sinks of greenhouse and chemically important trace gases (eg: CO2, CO, O3 )
GENESIS
The treaty was originally signed on 16 Sept, 1987. 197 countries have ratified the Montreal Protocol, making it the first international environmental treaty to achieve complete ratification. It has been further strengthened through 6 amendments since its inception.
The United Nations General Assembly on 19 December 1994, declared September 16 as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer in commemoration of the Montreal Protocol.
