Date: Wednesday, 16 September 2020. Twenty-six anniversary.
Sponsor: United Nations
Objective: It aims to advocate activities that create awareness on topics related to climate change and ozone depletion.
Background:
The ozone layer is a part of the atmosphere, which forms a natural shield that protects Earth from the harmful UV rays coming from the sun. In 1985, an ozone hole over Antarctica was first discovered and shocked the whole world.
Ozone depletion could be very disastrous since life on Earth would be harmed by UV radiation. Ozone depletion also causes photochemical smog and acid rain, threatens the life of microscopic organisms, alters the life cycles of plants, and disrupts the food chain.
Ozone depletion is avoidable as its main causes are the emission of human-made chemicals that contain chlorine or bromine, such as greenhouse gases and typical gases used in refrigerants and aerosol propellants.
History:
In 1994, the UN General Assembly designated 16 September of each year as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the date, in 1987, of the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (IDPOL) was first officially held on 16 September 1995, and annually held since then.
Activities:
It is time for our human being to adopt measures to save our planet and the ozone layer. To reduce the ozone depletion, we should promote the use of environmental-friendly fertilizers, whereas avoid the use of products with Ozone-Depleting Substances. Measures should also be taken to prevent excessive greenhouse gas emissions.
The theme for 2020:
Each year, the IDPOL commemoration focuses on a specific theme identified and suggested by the UN. In 2020, the theme for the IDPOL commemoration is Ozone for life: 35 years of ozone layer protection.
This theme marks 35 years of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, which was adopted by the world’s governments in 1985. According to the Convention’s Montreal Protocol, it is targeted to cut out 99 per cent of all ozone-depleting substances.
Official website:
https://www.un.org/en/observances/ozone-day