Prolonged Antarctic Ozone Holes Highlights Need for Continued Vigilance in Reduced Use of Ozone Depleting Substances & Scheduled Extinguishing Agents
Recent research, published by scientists at the Universities of Wollongong, Canterbury, and Colorado State has revealed the presence of prolonged ozone holes over Antarctica throughout the months of Spring. Over the past 25 years, the ozone hole that appears over Antarctica each spring has begun to decrease in size. However, in the last four years, despite its reduction, it has persisted for a longer period than usual, and the recent research published in April reveals that instead of closing up over Antarctica in November, it has remained open until December. This period is a critical time for flora and fauna in the region, and typically sees new plant growth. The breeding season for penguins and seals also takes place in the coastal regions during early summer. Significantly, these findings have been reported across multiple news outlets and science publications.
Why are these prolonged ozone holes concerning and why are they happening?
Whilst it has been understood for a while that the majority of ozone damage occurs over Antarctica, the prolonged presence of the ozone hole is concerning as it allows more ultraviolet rays to penetrate the atmosphere. A significant increase in ultraviolet radiation levels when the hole forms can be harmful to the health of the environment and biodiversity.
Whilst, we would typically expect such levels in places like Australia or California during summer, such extreme exposure is less common in polar regions. Fortunately, most land-dwelling species are shielded by snow cover when the ozone hole opens in early spring. Marine life benefits from sea ice protection, and Antarctica’s moss forests remain under snow, offering a safeguard against ozone depletion effects. That is, until now.
So what has contributed to this recent change? One contributing factor is a series of dramatic climatic events that occurred between 2020 and 2023. Factors such as a massive underwater volcanic eruption near Tonga, three consecutive years of La Niña, and the unprecedented Australian bushfires of the 2019 – 2020 black summer, have contributed to the prolonged existence of the ozone hole until December. Notably, events such as volcanic eruptions and bushfires can introduce particles into the atmosphere that trigger chemical reactions in the stratosphere.
The extended duration of ozone holes has also coincided with a significant decrease in sea ice, which reduces hiding places for many animals and plants. This raises concerns about elevated levels of reflected UV radiation impacting summer-breeding wildlife along Antarctica’s coastlines. Scientists and researchers have understood for a while now that increased UV exposure poses risks for both human health and wildlife, and while humans are at risk of skin cancer and cataracts from high UV levels, animals like penguins and seals face similar threats due to their exposure. This is especially so for vulnerable young animals and whilst studies on the effects of UV radiation on Antarctic animals are limited, the potential impacts on the ecosystem are worrying.
The research has also noted that the emergence of plant life from under snow cover in spring also exposes them to maximum UV levels, which impacts their growth. Important Antarctic mosses and phytoplankton are also important to consider, and whilst these have evolved mechanisms to protect themselves from UV radiation, prolonged exposure may lead to reduced growth and survival. The extent of the diminishing sea ice, due to climate change also allows more UV light to penetrate the ocean, impacting phytoplankton and krill populations that form the basis of the food chain in Antarctica. Rising water temperatures and acidification further challenge the survival of these crucial organisms.
How does biodiversity impact us?
So why is this important? In the context of biodiversity in Antarctica, the health of local flora and fauna is critical in assisting the region’s climate regulation, which has a cascading effect on the earth’s climatic conditions. Every ecosystem plays a crucial role in regulating the Earth’s climate by sequestering carbon dioxide and influencing weather patterns and biodiversity conservation is essential for maintaining these climate-regulating services.
More broadly, biodiversity and healthy ecosystems are crucial for both healthy people and a thriving planet for several reasons. Firstly, it provides essential ecosystem services such as clean air, water, food, and medicine. Diverse ecosystems are also more resilient to environmental changes, reducing the risk of natural disasters, and disease outbreaks. Biodiversity also supports other critical industries such as agriculture, fishery, and forestry, which contribute to both food security and economic stability.
How do the holes in the Ozone form?
Human activities over the past half century have led to the depletion of the Earth’s protective ozone layer due to the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and related chemicals. Since the ratification of the 1987 Montreal Protocol, these harmful substances are now largely banned globally, but their lingering effects will take decades to dissipate completely, which results in the annual formation of the ozone hole.
Many of these chemicals are used frequently within scheduled extinguishing agents for protecting against fires, due to their quick ability to control and suppress fire at the chain reaction level. To combat the negative impacts of the chemicals used within the suppression systems on the ozone, they are highly regulated via the fire protection industry permit scheme, under the Australian Federal Government’s Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 (Ozone Act).
Whilst the Montreal Protocol has proven monumental in its harm reduction to the Stratospheric Ozone Layer and is widely held up to be the most significant and successful piece of multilateral environmental cooperation to be seen, the recent Ozone hole observations suggests there is more work to be done and collective efforts are more important than ever.
This most recent research notes that it is unknown whether the longer-lasting ozone holes will continue or not. What it does acknowledge definitively is that climate change and unprecedented weather conditions have been causing the atmosphere to behave in unprecedented ways. What is certain, is that to keep the recovery of the ozone on track, everyone must play their part in limiting emissions of ozone depleting chemicals, whilst also minimising the harm of climate change and reducing levels of carbon emitted into the atmosphere.
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Emission target on track
Media release
13 October 2022
The Australian Government is on track to meet its goal of a 30% reduction in harmful emissions from ozone depleting substances (ODS) and synthetic greenhouse gases (SGG) by 2030.
To learn more about the work the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is doing in conjunction with the Fire Protection Industry (ODS & SGG) Board to meet its target, read the full media release found here.
New laws to reduce emissions and continue healing the ozone layer
Media release
28 September 2022
The Albanese Government will today introduce a new Bill that will see stronger measures to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions and continue to play its part in helping heal the world’s ozone layer.
The Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Reform (Closing the Hole in the Ozone Layer) Bill 2022 will modernise and streamline Australia’s laws to manage ozone depleting substances and synthetic greenhouse gases.
Australia’s ozone legislation controls the import and use of ozone depleting substances and synthetic greenhouse gases—both of which are commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning, fire protection, aerosols and insulating foam.
The control and phase-out of ozone gases stems from the highly successful Montreal Protocol – the most successful global environment treaty ever signed. To date, the Protocol is the only UN treaty ratified by every UN member state; in Australia it was ratified by the Hawke Government in 1989.
This legislation helps Australia manage the chemicals that destroy the ozone layer, which is the part of the atmosphere that insulates and protects the planet from the sun’s rays.
Some ozone depleting chemicals to be managed by the legislation are also synthetic greenhouse gases – fluorinated gases, primarily hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide.
HFCs make up only 2 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions but their use is growing rapidly because of increasing demand for air conditioning. Their potency means that even at 2 per cent, they have a disproportionately high impact on our climate.
The Government is working closely with industry to phase down the use of HFCs by 85% between 2018-2036. We already have in place requirements for technicians to be fully trained and to safely recover HFCs from old equipment through a world leading, industry funded and operated, product stewardship scheme.
The changes set out in the Bill to be introduced today will ensure that Australia’s management program remains efficient and effective.
You can read the full media release here.
