Ozone layer 'is no longer disappearing and will return (UN)

[Lord Beria3]

The ozone layer is no longer disappearing and could be back to full strength by the middle of this century, UN scientists have confirmed.
The phasing out of nearly 100 substances once used in products like refrigerators and aerosols has stopped the ozone layer being depleted further, although it is not yet increasing, according to a new United Nations report released last week.

And it claimed that international efforts to protect the ozone layer has averted millions of cases of skin cancer worldwide.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/ ... z1044dYHjl

[PS_RalphW]

Lord B, if you continue to use the Daily Wail as a source of scientific or technical data, you will continue to be a decade behind the times.

Anyway, in 1859, a solar flare took out most of the world's telegraph network. If a similar flare hit today, we would have at most 15 hours warning, and would need to shut down the entire planet's electricity grid and all satellites to avoid a total wipeout of electricity and comms infrastructure.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpres ... ObpxQjrMQQ

Just a fun thought for monday morning

[Lord Beria3]

Ralph your being lazy... here is the same report from the UN directly.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?N ... ozone&Cr1=

Global ozone is no longer decreasing, due to the phase-out of nearly 100 depleting substances once used in products like refrigerators and spray cans, but is not yet increasing. The ozone layer outside the polar regions is projected to recover to pre-1980 levels before the middle of the century, although the annual springtime ozone hole over the Antarctic is expected to take much longer, the study reported in one of its key findings.

The report, published jointly by UNEP and the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and released today on the UN International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, is the first comprehensive update in four years on the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol phasing out chemicals which accelerate both ozone layer damage and climate change.

[snow hope]

Beria, it has been known for quite a few years now that we have an improving situation regarding the Ozone layer - I am sure that is what Ralph meant.

[adam2]

Nothing wrong with talking about solar storm damage to the grid, but not in a thread about ozone.
I have moved the solar storm posts to a new thread.
Here http://www.powerswitch.org.uk/forum/vie ... hp?t=15384

[Grizzly Mouse]

Too early to pat the world on its back now the ozone has yet to show significant recovery.

[RogerCO]

The ozone layer is no longer disappearing and could be back to full strength by the middle of this century, UN scientists have confirmed.
The phasing out of nearly 100 substances once used in products like refrigerators and aerosols has stopped the ozone layer being depleted further, although it is not yet increasing, according to a new United Nations report released last week.

And it claimed that international efforts to protect the ozone layer has averted millions of cases of skin cancer worldwide.

Well that's all right then. I'm sure that the current problem with the environment/CO2 pollution/oil depletion/water/general resource depletion/poverty/inequality will be solved by carrying on as normal and allowing some minor background corrections to be made. Nothing to worry about. Move along please .. there a new shopping mall wanting customers and some financiers wanting to lend you money, just have fun and don't worry your pretty little head about a thing. The grown-ups have got it all under control and know what's best...

[RogerCO]

It is of course true and it could be seen as encouraging that in the 1970's/80s we recognised a problem which scientists pointed out to us and got together to act globally to solve it. A great success story to help you believe we can overcome such difficulties.

The difference is one of scale - essentially solving the ozone problem meant phasing out use of a range of chemicals for which substitutes were available or could be developed and deployed within the timescale needed for a solution.

From the point of view of the masses it meant that the aerosol cans we used changed the propellant - and I seem to recall for a time it was difficult to get acceptable substitutes which worked as well, and we had to be careful when we threw away our old fridges to not let the freon leak out but recycle them properly.

Essentially it hit one small part of life and posed no threat to the continuance of BAU. Compare and contrast with the scale of the problem of trying to reduce fossil fuel use globally by 60-80%

Developing and deploying substitutes in the timescale needed is no longer possible so we also will have to simply use less energy ...much less
Meanwhile we will bask in more energy than we have ever needed flooding the earth from the nearby (93M miles) galactic power plant which we seem unable or unwilling to make effective use of.

[adam2]

Reports of a recovery in ozone levels would seem to be premature.

Reports suggest that China are simply ignoring the ban on a common ozone destroying chemical and have increased production.
Mainly used in the manufacture of rigid thermal insulation foam.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-44738952

[BritDownUnder]

I also read a report about that there was evidence for emissions of CFCs somewhere in "East Asia". Hmmm.