The Antarctic hole is recovering

The Antarctic ozone hole was expected to gradually close, returning to 1980 levels in the 2060s, the report said.

“Evidence presented by the authors shows that the ozone layer in parts of the stratosphere has recovered at a rate of 1-3 percent per decade since 2000,” UN Environment and the World Meteorological Organisation said in a statement.

“At projected rates, northern hemisphere and mid-latitude ozone is scheduled to heal completely by the 2030s followed by the southern hemisphere in the 2050s and polar regions by 2060.”

The UN had already hailed the success of the protocol, which banned or phased out ozone-depleting chemicals, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) once widely used in refrigerators and spray cans, but the report said it was the first time that there were emerging indications that the Antarctic ozone hole had diminished in size and depth since 2000.

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