Ozone layer is healing! Amidst Coronavirus gloom, Ozone cover above Antarctica records substantial recovery

In a rare but substantial global achievement, the efforts of all the countries to stop the damage to the Ozone layer seem to be paying off as the damage to the Ozone layer above Antarctica has recovered, Science Alert reported citing a study. The development has the potential to clog the wheel of many disastrous chain of events that was taking place in the atmosphere of the Southern Hemisphere.

A new study has highlighted the positive role played by the Montreal Protocol which was agreed to by major world powers in 1987. Under the Montreal Protocol, developing as well as developed countries took substantial steps to stop the emission of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) that included refrigerators and Air Conditioners that relied heavily on Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). According to the new study, depletion of the life-saving Ozone layer had altered the path of Jet streams further from the South Pole. The development had led to magnanimous impact on the rainfall patterns of the planet along with ocean currents, Science Alert reported. Jet Streams are ultra fast air currents that move towards the poles of our planet at high altitude. The study has highlighted that one decade after the Montreal Protocol came into being, the alteration in the Jet patterns stopped.

The researchers relied on a range of computer simulations and models to reach the conclusion. The changes in the rainfall pattern had been very worrying for coastal countries like Australia where large scale drought was feared due to the development.

The weather bands that bring cold fronts have been narrowing towards the South Pole which led to less rainfall in Southern Australia, Ian Rae, Organic Chemist from the University of Melbourne told Science Alert. But all is not well on the Ozone front, scientists caution. Large scale release of Ozone depleting chemicals from countries like China can take the clock back and undo the efforts of the world at large. Increasing Carbon emissions is another problem that does not seem to have any easy solutions in sight. After the exit of the world’s biggest CO2 emitter United States from the Paris Climate Deal, it is unclear how far the deal will go in allaying the fears of Global Warming. Maximum number of instances of untimely rains and unusually high temperatures have been recorded in India in recent decades.