Shrinking Ozone Hole

There is more and more evidence the hole in the ozone layer is shrinking, detailed in the Washington Post article below.

The Earth’s ozone hole is shrinking and is the smallest it has been since 1988

This is a good thing!  The hole in the ozone layer does NOT cause global warming, as is often stated.  Global warming and climate change are the result of increased greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere that absorb infrared radiation and warm Earth's surface.  Ozone is located in the stratosphere of Earth's atmosphere.  This is a the layer above the troposphere (where we live and where climate change takes place).  It was discovered in 1984 (article mistakenly states 1987) that the ozone layer was weakening, with a hole forming over Antarctica. 

A weakening ozone is a bad thing as the ozone absorbs UV radiation from the Sun.  This extra radiation reaching Earth's surface results in more sun burns and skin cancers.  Chemical compounds containing chlorine and bromine can break apart the ozone molecule and weaken this UV protecting layer of our atmosphere.  Fortunately governments across the world recognized the problem, believed the scientists researching this, and made efforts to limit the amount of chlorine and bromine molecules released into the atmosphere.  This started with the Montreal Protocol in 1987 that drastically limited the release of these ozone harmful chemicals.  We've seen a strengthening of the ozone layer for several years now and if the trend continues, the ozone layer will return to its normal levels a few decades from now, later this century.

So what does this all mean?  It means that we have the ability to fix an environment we've altered, but it takes some political willpower.  This happened in 1987, a mere 3 years after the ozone hole was discovered.  If the ozone hole was discovered today, in today's political climate, would anything have been done?  It's hard to say, but it seems unlikely.  Given the constant climate change denial by today's Republican party, I can only assume they'd deny a hole in the ozone.

The fact we did something about the ozone hole gives me some hope, that soon, and hopefully before it's too late, we'll have the political willpower to address climate change.  For now though, I'll have to accept the good news of a shrinking ozone hole.