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Monday November 18, 2024

Ozone-harming gas declining faster than expected: study

The Montreal Protocol signed in 1987 aimed to phase out ozone-depleting substances found primarily in refrigeration, air conditioning and aerosol sprays.

By AFP
June 12, 2024
Researchers monitoring ozone depletion over the Arctic drive their snowmobiles near Svalbard in Norway. — Reuters/file
Researchers monitoring ozone depletion over the Arctic drive their snowmobiles near Svalbard in Norway. — Reuters/file 

PARIS: Scientists said on Tuesday that international efforts to protect the ozone layer had been a “huge global success” after revealing that damaging gases in the atmosphere were declining faster than expected.

The Montreal Protocol signed in 1987 aimed to phase out ozone-depleting substances found primarily in refrigeration, air conditioning and aerosol sprays.

A new study has found that atmospheric levels of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), harmful gases responsible for holes in the ozone layer, peaked in 2021 -- five years ahead of projections.