Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: PIB
Context: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change celebrated the 29th World Ozone Day, commemorating the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987, which aimed to phase out Ozone Depleting Substances.
- The theme for World Ozone Day 2023 is “Montreal Protocol: fixing the ozone layer and reducing climate change.”
About Ozone Layer:
The ozone layer or ozone shield is a region of Earth’s stratosphere that absorbs most of the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation. It contains a high concentration of ozone (O3) in relation to other parts of the atmosphere, although still small in relation to other gases in the lower part of the stratosphere (15-35 Km above the surface of the earth)
Montreal Protocol and its amendments are successful in eliminating up to 99% of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) (long-lived man-made chemicals which destroy the protective ozone layer). The ozone layer is predicted to return to 1980 levels over Antarctica by 2066, 2045 for the Arctic, and 2040 for the remainder of the planet.
India has been proactive in implementing the Montreal Protocol, phasing out harmful substances and achieving reductions. Initiatives include:
- India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) to address refrigerant transition, energy efficiency, and technology advancement in cooling systems
- The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol focuses on reducing the production and consumption of high global warming potential HFCs, with India committed to phasing them out gradually.
- The Ozone Cell collaborates with the Indian Institutes of Technology to promote research and development of low global warming potential chemicals.
