Wednesday September 18, |
Antarctic ozone hole could close by 2050By Michael Perry SYDNEY (Reuters) - The hole in the ozone layer over may close within 50 years as the level of destructive ozone-depleting CFCs in the atmosphere is now declining, one of the world's leading atmospheric scientists has said. Paul Fraser with the Australian government's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) said he had measured a decline in ozone-destroying gases since 2000. "The major culprit in the production of the ozone hole is CFCs and they have started to decline in the lower atmosphere," Fraser told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday. "We think the ozone hole will recover by about 2050," said Fraser, from CSIRO's atmospheric division and a lead author on a U.N. report on the ozone layer released on Monday. The report said ozone-depleting gases in the upper atmosphere had been at or near their peak in 2000, but the world was making steady progress towards the recovery of the ozone layer. It said scientific data showed levels of ozone-depleting gases in the lower atmosphere were "declining, albeit slowly", but the ozone would be vulnerable for a decade. The ozone layer is essential for life on earth, shielding the earth from the harmful ultraviolet-B radiation from the sun and completely screening out lethal UV-C radiation. Chlorine from chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) is responsible for destroying part of the ozone layer over . CFCs have been widely used since the 1930s in refrigerators, and air conditioners and remain in the atmosphere for decades. Under the 1987 Montreal Protocol, developing countries committed themselves to halving consumption and production of CFCs by 2005 and to achieving an 85 percent cut by 2007. Fraser, who monitors CFCs from 's southern , said that in 1950 the atmospheric level of chlorine from CFCs had been zero, rose to a peak of 2.15 parts per billion in 2000, but had fallen one percent a year since 2000. "We are now at a point where the atmosphere can actually remove CFCs faster than they are being released into the atmosphere," said Fraser, adding the actual decline in CFCs had not been measured when the U.N. report was compiled in 2000. The U.N. report, the latest in a series of four-yearly reports reviewing the ozone layer since the Montreal Protocol, said the reduction in CFCs proved the protocol was working. But the report warned that the hole over would only close fully if countries continued to adhere to the protocol and if there were no other factors adversely affecting the ozone layer like a major increase in greenhouse gases. "These results confirm that the Montreal Protocol is achieving its objectives. During the next decades we should see a recovery of the ozone layer," said the report. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
*** g96 1/8 5 The Fight to Save Our Planet *** A significant step forward, however, was the 1987 Montreal Protocol, which involved an international agreement to phase out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) within a set time limit. Why the concern? Because CFCs are said to be contributing to the rapid depletion of the earths protective ozone layer. The ozone in the earths upper atmosphere plays a vital role in filtering the suns ultraviolet rays, which can cause skin cancer and cataracts. This is a problem not just in . Recently, scientists have detected an 8-percent decrease in winter ozone concentration above some temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Twenty million tons of CFCs have already drifted up toward the stratosphere.
In the face of this disastrous contamination of the atmosphere, nations of the world put aside their differences and took decisive action. Other international action has also been forthcoming to protect endangered species, conserve , and control the traffic of toxic wastes.
Many countries are taking steps to clean up their rivers (salmon have now returned to Englands Thames River), to control air pollution (it has declined 10 percent in the cities of the United States with the worst smog), to tap environment-friendly energy sources (80 percent of the homes in Iceland are heated with geothermal energy), and to conserve their natural heritage (Costa Rica and Namibia have converted about 12 percent of their total land area into national parks).
Are these positive signs proof that mankind is taking the danger seriously? Will it just be a matter of time before our planet is in good health once again? The following articles will seek to answer those questions.
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*** g96 1/8 12 Our Fragile Planet-What of the Future? *** Although some laudable progress has been made, it has mainly been cosmetic, addressing symptoms rather than causes. If a house has dry rot, painting the woodwork will not prevent its collapse. Only a major structural reform can save it. Similarly, there must be a restructuring of the way man uses this planet. Mere damage control will not suffice.
*** g96 1/8 12-13 Our Fragile Planet-What of the Future? *** Greed. When it comes down to a choice between profits and conservation, money usually talks louder. Powerful industries lobby to minimize pollution control or to avoid government regulations altogether. The damage to the ozone layer exemplifies this problem. As late as March 1988, the chairman of a major chemical company stated: At the moment, scientific evidence does not point to the need for dramatic CFC emission reductions.
The same company, however, recommended phasing out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) altogether. A change of heart? It had nothing to do with whether the environment was being damaged or not, explained Mostafa Tolba, director-general of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It was all [about] who was going to gain an [economic] edge over who. Now many scientists realize that the destruction of the ozone layer is one of the worst man-made environmental catastrophes in history.
*** g96 1/8 14 Our Fragile Planet-What of the Future? *** God assures us that there will be a renovation of the earths ecosystems. Instead of advancing relentlessly, the deserts will blossom as the saffron. (Isaiah 35:1) In place of food shortages, there will be plenty of grain on the earth. (Psalm 72:16) Rather than die from pollution, the earths rivers will clap their hands.Psalm 98:8.
When will such a transformation be possible? When Jehovah himself has become king. (Psalm 96:10) Gods rule will guarantee a blessing for every living thing on earth. Let the earth be glad, says the psalmist. Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy.Psalm 96:11, 12, New International Version.
An earth blessed by its Creator and ruled in righteousness has a glorious future. The Bible describes the results: Righteousness and peacethey have kissed each other. Trueness itself will sprout out of the very earth, and righteousness itself will look down from the very heavens. Also, Jehovah, for his part, will give what is good, and our own land will give its yield. (Psalm 85:10-12) When that day dawns, our planet will be out of danger forever.
Basically the WTS said that Mankind could not resolve the problem......only God's New System! Well...we are not doing too bad.....
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