On International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, a professional talks about the importance of the layer for all forms of life present on planet Earth
Monique Coutinho
From the editorial team
The Ozone Layer is extremely important to protect the earth from solar radiation, which in excess can cause various damages to living beings. To raise awareness of this environmental issue, the United Nations (UN) established September 16th as International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
The ozone layer (O3) present in the stratosphere is important for filtering solar radiation, especially ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation. According to forestry engineer Alcinéia de Castro, this layer protects life forms, such as animals, plants and humans.
“Another function is to heat the Earth’s surface, preventing the heat emitted on the Earth’s surface from dissipating, thereby contributing to temperature regulation, maintaining life on Earth”, he adds.
For there to be life on the planet, this layer must be preserved, otherwise living beings will face a lot of damage, says the engineer.
“There will be a lot of climate change. Ultraviolet radiation will cause irreparable damage to living beings, such as: damage to vision, aging, suspension of the immune system, skin cancer, impeding the development of various types of living beings such as fish, crustaceans and phytoplankton.”
Still according to Alcinéia, in the mid-70s, it was discovered that there was a hole measuring approximately 28 million km² in the ozone layer, present in the Antarctic region. “This hole is three times larger than the area of Brazilian territory,” she says.
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Through countless scientific research, it was found that this occurred as a consequence of human actions, that is, due to the excessive use of substances such as gases called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that are present in aerosols, refrigerator gas, air conditioning, solvents, among others.
“These substances end up destroying the ozone layer by reacting with it. Other products harmful to the ozone layer include gases (CO2) generated from the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal.”
Given this reality, some measures are already being taken to preserve this layer. “Among them, the ban on the use of CFC gases and their replacement with substances that do not harm the ozone layer”, concludes the engineer.
September 16, 1994
The UN established September 16, 1994 as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, to celebrate the signing of the Montreal Protocol, which took place in 1987.
The countries that signed this international treaty have committed to reducing the production of CFCs and other substances responsible for destroying the ozone layer.
The ozone layer is concentrated in the stratosphere, where ozone gas (O3) is concentrated in greater quantities. The stratosphere is located between 20 and 25 km from the earth’s surface.