INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE OZONE LAYER

The 16th of September is the International Day for the preservation of the Ozone layer. The day was proclaimed such in 1994 by the UN General Assembly, commemorating the date of the signing, in 1987, of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. CLICK here to view the Report of the Resolution adopted by the General Assembly

WHAT IS THE OZONE LAYER?

The ozone layer or ozone shield refers to a region of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of the Sun's UV radiation.  The ozone layer is mainly found in the lower portion of the stratosphere, from approximately 20 to 30 kilometers above Earth, though the thickness varies seasonally and geographically.  The ozone layer is mainly found in the lower portion of the  stratosphere, from approximately 20 to 30 kilometers above Earth, though the thickness varies seasonally and geographically.

THEME OF THE YEAR 2014

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Ozone Layer Protection: The Mission Goes On”. The Montreal Protocol has so far been successful in meeting some of its targets on phasing out ozone-depleting substances. As a result, the abundance of ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere is declining and the ozone layer is expected to recover around the middle of this century. There are, however, some remaining challenges to the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances. This year’s theme seeks to galvanize all stakeholders to increase their efforts to address the challenges. It was selected following an online voting exercise. 

On this occasion, the Secretariat would be pleased to receive from Nigeria, information on any plans for the celebration. These plans will be shared on the Secretariat’s website for wide dissemination. Kindly send your plans to the Ozone Secretariat at ozoneinfo@unep.org.

CREDITS

http://ozone.unep.org/new_site/en/ozone_day_details.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone_layer

http://www.unep.org/ozonaction/Events/OzoneDay/2011/tabid/56178/Default.aspx

http://www.greeningtheblue.org/event/international-day-preservation-ozone-layer-16-september-2014