International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, also known as the ozone shield, is a fragile layer of gas in the Earth's stratosphere that contains a relatively high concentration of ozone (O3) molecules.
Important Days
The United Nations proclaimed 16 September as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. The date commemorates the adoption of the Montreal Protocol in 1985 when governments, scientists and industry worked together to cut 99% of all ozone-depleting substances. Thanks to the Montreal Protocol, the ozone layer is healing and expected to return to pre-1980 values by mid-century. Life on Earth would not be possible without sunlight. But the energy emanating from the sun would be too much for life on Earth to thrive were it not for the ozone layer. This stratospheric layer shields us from most of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. Sunlight makes life possible, but the ozone layer makes life as we know it possible.
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