Global warming
The need to tackle global warming has been accepted by the nations of the world but the task can still seem daunting.
Fossil fuels have powered industrial nations for 300 years now, so a world without coal, gas or oil will be very different from the one we live in today.
The good news though is that we CAN reverse manmade damage caused to the Earth’s atmosphere. We know this because of what has happened to the ozone layer. So, let’s reflect on a success for mankind.
Ozone, or trioxygen, is a highly reactive gas made up of three oxygen atoms which, whilst harmful to humans at surface level, effectively acts as a sunscreen for the earth when forming the ozone layer between 15km-35km above the Earth’s surface.
It absorbs ultraviolet rays from the sun which would otherwise prove extremely harmful to humans, causing skin cancer and cataracts. The rays can also harm marine life and plants and reduce the productivity of essential crops including wheat, rice and soya bean.
Five decades ago scientists discovered the ozone layer over the South Pole was thinning and research established this was primarily due to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in spray cans and refrigerants, which were breaking down the ozone molecules.
In 1987 the Montreal Protocol became the only UN treaty in history to be agreed by all 197 nation members and effectively banned CFCs. Over time other damaging substances have also been added to the protocol.
CFCs hang around for a long time, but the halting of new production coupled with the gradual depletion of those present in the atmosphere has seen a substantial recovery in the ozone layer.
Comparing the size of the hole in the ozone between single years can be misleading as natural occurences such as volcanic eruptions can have an impact. But by charting the size over decades a more accurate picture of our efforts to reduce the hole can be gained.
Scientists now predict, if we remain vigilant, the ozone will be back to pre-industrial levels by the end of the century.
So manmade environmental damage can be reversed, though it needs patience and buy-in from citizens, communities, industry and governments.