Life on this planet would be very different without the ozone layer. Made of odourless gas, this invisible stratospheric shield absorbs the vast majority of harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, reducing the risk to humans of health conditions such as cancer and eye damage. 

However, the ozone layer is under threat. For decades, scientists have known that man-made emissions could cause destruction to the ozone and let more UV rays through. Then a large hole in the ozone layer was discovered in the 1980s above Antarctica.

Figures show that the southern hemisphere hole had a maximum area of 26.1 million km² as of 2023 (European Space Agency, 2023). There are also concerns about significant ozone depletion over the Arctic close to populated areas of the northern hemisphere.