A recent study has shown that Earth’s ozone layer appears to be healing.
While this pandemic may not have even scratched the surface yet, many of us are already pining for what we once had. However, a positive to come out of all this is that we have, apparently, semi-stopped taking a figurative dump on the planet. Experts have discovered that the planet’s ozone layer seems to be healing.
While that’s of little consolation for the millions of people this pandemic affects and hurts, it is perhaps one of the only silver linings the world can take from this rotten situation.
The good news here lies in the restructuring of the ozone layer, which gives the earth protection. It shields the planet from harmful ultraviolet rays shining down from the sun.
This isn’t just down to the global pandemic, though. The study, which appears in the journal Nature, outlines how the 1987 Montreal Protocol has been effective. This agreement involved countries all over the world and aimed to reverse some of the horrific damage placed on the earth, after the ozone reached horrifying levels. And, according to the study, it has worked.
This study came to fruition when scientists noted a change in air circulation around the southern hemisphere. The research was carried out using computer simulations to determine whether these wind changes were caused naturally or due to a change in human behaviour. The latter includes the reduction of carbon-emitting activities that are thought to harm the ozone layer.
It was found that these changes could only be explained by the recovery of the ozone, despite the expansion of worldwide CO2 emissions. So, it all feels like good news at a bad time, at least for now.
It’s worth noting that, due to CO2 emissions still spiralling out of control, scientists do stress that we are still in a dangerous environmental period. However, we’ll have to wait and see how these current worldwide lockdowns will continue to impact our planet…
You’ll find the full study here.
See also: NASA have released the highest resolution photo of Mars ever seen.