Good news for the planet: Ozone layer expected to heal within decades

The Earth’s ozone layer is on track to recover completely in the coming decades, according to a United Nations-backed assessment, due to the worldwide phase-out of ozone-depleting chemicals.

The ozone layer protects the planet from harmful ultraviolet rays, but the use of substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in refrigerators, aerosols, and solvents has resulted in a hole in the shield.

However, international cooperation has led to a 99% decrease in CFC usage since the Montreal Protocol went into effect in 1989, which began the phase-out of these and other damaging chemicals.

If global policies remain in place, the ozone layer is expected to return to 1980 levels by 2040 for most of the world and by 2045 over the Arctic, with 2066 as the expected recovery date for the Antarctic.

Ozone-depleting gases are also potent greenhouse gases, and without a ban, the world could have experienced an additional 1 degree Celsius of warming, according to a 2021 study.

The assessment also examined the possibility of solar geoengineering as a way to reduce global warming, but warned of potential unintended consequences.