All about ozone - including Current issues

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1. The ozone layer or ozone shield is a region of
2. Earth 's stratosphere that absorbs most of the Sun 's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It contains high concentrations of ozone (O 3 
3. Venus also has a thin ozone layer at an altitude of 100 kilometers from the planet's surface
4. The ozone layer is mainly found in the lower portion of the stratosphere, from approximately 20 to 30 kilometres (12 to 19 mi) above Earth, although its thickness varies seasonally and geographically.
5. The ozone layer was discovered in 1913 by the French physicists Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson 
6. Its properties were explored in detail by the British meteorologist G. M. B. Dobson, who developed a simple spectrophotometer (the Dobsonmeter) that could be used to measure stratospheric ozone from the ground. 
7. The " Dobson unit ", a convenient measure of the amount of ozone overhead, is named in his honor.
8. In 1976 atmospheric research revealed that the ozone layer was being depleted by chemicals released by industry, mainly chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

1. The United Nations General Assembly has designated September 16 as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer .

1. About 90 percent of the ozone in the atmosphere is contained in the stratosphere. Ozone concentrations are greatest between about 20 and 40 kilometres (66,000 and 131,000 ft), where they range from about 2 to 8 parts per million. If all of the ozone were compressed to the pressure of the air at sea level, it would be only 3 millimetres ( 1 ⁄ 8 inch) thick.
2. Although the concentration of the ozone in the ozone layer is very small, it is vitally important to life because it absorbs biologically harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation coming from the sun. Extremely short or vacuum UV (10–100 nm) is screened out by nitrogen. UV radiation capable of penetrating nitrogen is divided into three categories, based on its wavelength; these are referred to as UV-A (400–315 nm), UV-B (315–280 nm), and UV-C (280–100 nm).
3. Ozone is transparent to most UV-A, so most of this longer-wavelength UV radiation reaches the surface, and it constitutes most of the UV reaching the Earth. This type of UV radiation is significantly less harmful to DNA, although it may still potentially cause physical damage, premature aging of the skin, indirect genetic damage, and skin cancer
4. UV-B radiation can be harmful to the skin and is the main cause of sunburn; excessive exposure can also cause cataracts, immune system suppression, and genetic damage, resulting in problems such as skin cancer .
5. Nevertheless, some UV-B, particularly at its longest wavelengths, reaches the surface, and is important for the skin's production of vitamin D .
6. UV-C, which is very harmful to all living things, is entirely screened out by a combination of dioxygen (< 200 nm) and ozone (> about 200 nm) by around 35 kilometres (115,000 ft) altitude
7. 😊scientists have discovered that certain chemicals react with UV radiation in the stratosphere, which causes them to break apart and release chlorine or bromine atoms. These atoms, in turn, destroy ozone molecules.
8. Ozone-depleting substances (ODS ), which include (CFCs) and (HCFCs), were once used widely in refrigerants, insulating foams, solvents, and other applications. These substances all release chlorine atoms into the stratosphere. A single chlorine atom can break apart more than 100,000 ozone molecules.
9. Other chemicals that damage the ozone layer include  methyl bromide (used as a pesticide) halons (used in fire extinguishers), andmethyl chloroform (used as a solvent in industrial processes). As methyl bromide and halons are broken apart, they release bromine atoms, which are 60 times more destructive to ozone molecules than chlorine atoms.
10. 16 September  The date was chosen because the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed on September 16, 1987.
11. Ozone is a pungent smelling blue gas. A molecule of ozone consists of three oxygen atoms.
12. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (a protocol to the
13. Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer ) is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. It was agreed on 16 September 1987, and entered into force on  1 January 1989, followed by a first meeting in Helsinki, May 1989. Since then, it has undergone eight revisions, in 1990 ( London), 1991 ( Nairobi ), 1992 ( Copenhagen), 1993 ( Bangkok ), 1995 ( Vienna), 1997 ( Montreal), 1998 ( Australia ), 1999 ( Beijing ) and 2016 ( Kigali , adopted, but not in force)
14. Ratifiers countries are 197 
15.  In the 28 meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, negotiators from 197 nations have signed a historic agreement to amend the Montreal Protocol in Kigali, a capital city of a tiny African country, Rwanda on 15 October 2016.
16. As per the agreement, these countries are expected to reduce the manufacture and use of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by roughly 80-85% from their respective baselines, till 2045.
17. This phase down is expected to arrest the global average temperature rise up to 0.5 C by 2100.

Kigali agreement is an amendment to Montreal Protocol

1. Kigali Agreement: Important Points
2. It is a legally binding agreement between the signatory parties with non-compliance measures.
3. It will come into effect from 1st January 2019 provided it is ratified by at least 20 member parties by then.
4. It has shown a considerable flexibility in approach while setting phase-down targets for different economies accommodating their developmental aspirations, different socio-economic compulsions, and scientific & technological capabilities.
5. It has divided the signatory parties into three groups-

1. 1. The first group consists of rich and developed economies like USA, UK and EU countries who will start to phase down HFCs by 2019 and reduce it to 15% of 2012 levels by 2036.

•  2. The second group consists of emerging economies like China, Brazil as well as some African countries who will start phase down by 2024 and reduce it to 20% of 2021 levels by 2045.

• 3. The third group consists of developing economies and some of the hottest climatic countries like India, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia who will start phasing down HFCs by 2028 and reduce it to 15% of 2024-2026 levels till 2047.

1. It also has a provision for a multilateral fund for developing countries for adaptation and mitigation.
2. The Technology and Energy Assessment Panel (TEAP) will take a periodic review of the alternative technologies and products for their energy efficiency and safety standards.
3. Why is Kigali Agreement significant?
4. It strengthens the Paris Agreement which sets an ambitious target of restricting the rise in global temperature below 2 Celsius, as compared to pre-industrial level.
5. Unlike Paris agreement, it gives clear, concrete and mandatory targets with fixed timelines to the signatory parties to achieve their targets.
6. It would prevent the emission of HFCs equivalent to 70 billion tons of CO2.

Kigali Amendment and India

India played a very flexible and cooperative role in the whole negotiating process.

It has agreed on a lenient schedule as it consumes only 3% of HFCs as compared to the other nations like the USA (37%) and China (25%).

It would be tough for Indian to adhere to this agreement along with Paris Pact especially when it has embarked on an ambitious ” Make in India ” Programme to increase its industrial production.

It should also take into consideration the hot climatic conditions and growing demand for air conditioners, refrigerators, and cars with growing middle-class incomes while implementing the program.

Still, as a responsible nation with a global perspective, the Indian government has voluntarily passed the order to stop the production of HFC-23 which is a byproduct of commonly used refrigerant. This will reduce the emission by 100 million tons equivalent of Carbon dioxide in next 15 years.

Implications of Kigali Agreement on India

Indian industries using HFCs like Air-Conditioning industry, Automobiles, and refrigeration industry have some serious implications on financial and technical fronts:

1. Financial implications – Industries have to either invest in R & D to find out the substitutes for HFCs or they have to buy patented substances and technologies from other MNCs. Consequently, the cost of production will increase which may ultimately shrink the buyer base for their products.

 2. Technological implications – Some of the developed nations have already started using substitutes of HFCs in their products and have a sound technological knowledge about their use. Without technology transfer or research, it would be difficult for domestic industries to compete with them in global as well as domestic market.

On a positive side, this will incentivise business and scientific fraternity to invest their financial and intellectual resources in finding out more economic and environment- friendly technological alternatives.

References

1. Aljazeera .

 2. TheWire .

 3. FinancialExpress .

 4. Scroll . 

5. IndianExpress .

 6. UNEP. 

7. TheGuardian .. 

8. Nature . 

9. Wikipedia .

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