September 10, 2014

International Action Against

Ozone Depleting Substances
Yields Significant Gains
Worldwide action to phase out ozone-depleting substances has resulted in remarkable success,
according to a new assessment by 300 international scientists. The stratospheric ozone layer, a
fragile shield of gas that protects Earth from harmful ultraviolet light, is on track to recovery over the
next few decades.
The Assessment for Decision-Makers, a summary of the Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion
2014, provides new information to affirm that the 1987 international agreement known as the
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer has successfully resulted in global
international policies to reduced levels of ozone-depleting substances.
The report is conducted by the World Meteorological Organization, or WMO, and the United Nations
Environmental Program, or UNEP, and co-sponsored by NASA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, or NOAA, and the European Commission. Science teams from these organizations
and other countries have been monitoring the ozone layer on the ground, by balloon and with a
variety of satellite instruments dating back to NASA's Nimbus 4 satellite, launched in 1970.
The most current ozone hole satellite data comes from the Ozone Monitoring and Profiler Suite
instrument on the NASA-NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite, known as Suomi
NPP, and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument and Microwave Limb Sounder on NASA's Aura satellite.
"It is particularly gratifying to report that the ozone layer is on track for recovery to 1980 benchmark
levels by mid-century," said Paul A. Newman, chief scientist for atmospheres at NASA's Goddard
Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and a co-chair of the WMO/UNEP report. "Many of
these early signs of ozone improvements are due to decades of work and contributions by NASA
and NOAA instruments and scientists."
Ozone depleting substances are also powerful greenhouse gases. The Montreal Protocol provided a
double benefit: stopping ozone depletion, and slowing the growth of greenhouse gases. Substitutes

for ozone depleting substances are ozone safe, but many are powerful greenhouse gases. These
substitutes could offset the climate gains achieved by the Montreal Protocol in the future," Newman
said.
The Assessment for Decision-Makers, a summary of the Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion
2014 is the first comprehensive update in four years. The full report will be available in early 2015.
Related Links:

UNEP: Ozone Layer on Track to Recovery: Success Story Should Encourage Action
on Climate
Assessment for Decision-Makers from UNEP/WMO (pdf)
More information on the assessment from NOAAs Earth System Research
Laboratory
NASA's Ozone Hole Watch website
Gallery of HD ozone hole content from NASA Goddard's Scientific Visualization
Studio