Scientist says Asia responsible for the thinning of ozone layer
Scientist says Asia responsible for the thinning of ozone layer
By Paul de Bendern
KIRUNA, Sweden (Reuters): The failure of China and India to phase out dangerous chemicals threatens the progress made in healing the earth's protective ozone layer, the man who discovered the ozone hole over Antarctica said on Sunday.
Since British scientist Joe Farman identified the hole in 1985, the volume of ozone-killing substances released into the atmosphere has been cut but more needed to be done, he said.
"The problem is now with the developing countries, especially China, India and perhaps Malaysia and Indonesia as well," Farman said in Kiruna, 150 km north of the Arctic circle.
Some 350 scientists from around the world were attending the launch this weekend of the biggest study ever into ozone loss over Europe and the Arctic, at a research center in northern Sweden.
The discovery of the thinning of the ozone layer high in the atmosphere led to the 1989 Montreal Protocol, which almost all of the major developed and developing countries have signed.
But some countries, especially developing countries, have not yet complied with the protocol, which commits them to phasing out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) -- often used in refrigerators -- and other chemicals by certain dates.
"Developing countries have a little more time under the protocol but it is not clear that they will meet their targets to cut emissions," Farman said. "One of the dangers is still the indiscriminate use of halon."
The ozone layer, which shields the earth from the sun's harmful radiation, has been thinning for years through the use of damaging man-made chemicals, increasing the number of skin cancers and contributing to global warming.
Some progress
Since 1985 governments have stopped or controlled some harmful emissions, such as those from aerosol sprays.
"There's progress in the sense that ozone-killing substances have generally stopped being released, but you have to realize that once they are in the air it takes a long time before they go away," said Farman.
"So, no, things haven't got better but the steps have been taken that will ensure that eventually they will disappear."
The ozone hole over Antarctica, where the layer has been damaged most, is not worsening, Farmer said.
"There are yearly variations but there is nothing which we can say is a systematic trend. It's certainly not getting better yet but it would be very foolish to say it is getting worse."
The Antarctic hole covered 9.8 million sq miles (25.4 million sq km) on Sept. 15, an area more than two-and-a-half times the size of Europe.
Very cold winter weather over the Arctic circle and northern Europe in recent weeks has reduced the ozone layer there and may create a new hole in it.
"We've got ozone depletion in the Arctic but it does not look as dramatic as Antarctica. But it's there and it's growing and will probably get worse for the next four or five years," said Farman.