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Montreal Protocol

Since 2002, scientific data pointed to a slower decline of CFC-11, one of several chemical substances banned by the Montreal Protocol in 1987. The amount of CFC-11 found in the atmosphere has actually gone up during that time, prompting the United Nations

Scientists detected a spike in ozone-depleting chemicals. They’ll use the Montreal Protocol to stop the pollution.

Environment

Those who have watched over the Montreal Protocol since its formation have never had to take significant measures to enforce it — until now.

This image is from a video made in 2011 that compiled visualizations of the Antarctic ozone hole. Recent findings have shown that the hole is filling up — while other parts of ozone remain on the decline.

The ozone hole over the Antarctic is beginning to fill up. Here’s the bad news.

Science
A false-color image showing ozone concentrations above Antarctica on Oct. 2, 2015.

The ozone layer is bouncing back. And our hairstyles will be OK too.

Environment
This NASA graphic shows relative average levels of atmospheric ozone over the northern hemisphere in 1984 and 1997. The lower concentrations, shown in darker colors, are due to the effects of ozone-destroying chemicals in the atmosphere.

The latest news on the ozone layer shows we can solve big environmental problems

Environment

China, U.S. to seek way to end production, use of climate change causing HFCs

Environment
The World

Ozone levels over the Arctic hit all-time low

Environment

There’s an odd feeling of deja vu these days on the environment beat. First came the awful events in Japan with a nuclear disaster on a scale unseen since Chernobyl in the 1980s. Now comes news about atmospheric ozone that takes us back to the 80s as well

New Ozone Hole Findings

Most of us associate increasing greenhouse gas emissions with climate change. But a group of scientists writing in the journal Nature say greenhouse gases are affecting the earth’s protective stratospheric ozone layer as well. Lead author Drew Shindell (shin-DELL) is a scientist at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. He told Steve Curwood that […]

The World

Ozone Treaty Revisited

Delegates from around the world are meeting in Canada for a tenth anniversary assessment of the Montreal Protocol.– the treaty governing the phase out of ozone depleters, like chloroflourocarbons Some delegates are upset that developing nations are still producing CFC’s, and selling them illegally. But, others warn that the long term goal of a total, […]

The World

Problems With Promising CFC Substitute

Mike Villars of member station WHYY in Philadelphia reports on the decision of two major companies to stop working with a promising substitute for ozone-depleting CFCs. The companies say their workers could be exposed to unsafe levels of the chemical.

The World

Ozone Hole: once Again, Worse than Predicted

Steve reports on the latest data on the Antarctic ozone hole, which has opened every southern spring for the last decade and a half. This year’s hole is 20 percent bigger than last year and is passing for the first time over large human settlements.