Annually, International Day for the preservation of the Ozone Layer is an observance. It is celebrated on the 16th of September every year to spread awareness and bring attention to the depletion of the ozone layer. This day is celebrated by organizing speeches, seminars, and national as well as international exhibitions worldwide. In schools and colleges, this day is also organized and a lot of awareness is created by the means of media as well.
First, the World Ozone day was celebrated on 16th September 1995. Though the Montreal protocol was signed in 1987, the day to establish the importance of the contract happened much later in 1995.
The United Nations General Assembly first celebrated the day to bring about global awareness of the need to protect the ozone layer. The day was also celebrated owing to the increased depletion in the ozone layer. It became pertinent to find remedies and solutions in a fast track manner.
Every year large crowds gather in Montreal, Canada to celebrate World Ozone Day. The Montreal Protocol worked on various issues involving global production activities. The impact that production has on the ozone layer depletion is immense. Measures to control substances that cause reduction are another primary concern.
In the list of elements that cause depletion, chemicals are prima facie culprits, and a whole list of annexures stating them is provided as part of the protocol. In the baseline, the Montreal protocol aims to gradually phase out the use of harmful chemicals, leading to a stage where there is a total ban on these substances.
What are the effects of Ozone depletion?
Shielding the UV rays from the sun happens because of the ozone, its depletion may cause severe health issues. Adversely, Ozone depletion also disrupts the food chain and impacts the environment by altering the life cycles of plants. Microscopic organisms such as plankton may not survive hence animals dependent on planktons will also not be able to survive. The depletion of the ozone layer may result in a change in wind pattern, leading global warming hence resulting in climatic changes all over the world.
How to celebrate World Ozone Day
One of the best ways to celebrate World Ozone Day is by learning more about the ozone layer. Some people reading this may be fairly educated regarding the ozone layer, others may know barely anything about it. The good news is that irrespective of what category you fall into, you are going to find plenty of great resources online that you can dig deeper into. There are lots of interesting textbooks, as well as resources found on websites. If you are more of a visual learner, you are going to find some great videos on the subject as well.
The day is celebrated not only to commemorate the date on which the Montreal Convention was signed but mainly to create awareness about how fast the ozone layer is getting depleted. The main aim to observe this day as an international occasion is to create awareness about the ozone layer, what are the methods to stop its depletion, and how it is formed.