Ozone Hole Is Slowly Healing臭氧空洞正在慢慢愈合

Earths protective ozone layer is slowly but noticeably healing at a pace that will fully mend the hole over Antarctic in about 43 years， a new United Nations Environment Programme report says.

The ozone layer， a blanket of gas that exists between 10km and 50km above Earths surface， shields the planet from the suns powerful ultraviolet radiation which is linked to skin cancer， cataracts and crop damage.

“In the upper stratosphere and in the ozone hole we see things getting better，” said Paul Newman， co-chair of the scientific assessment.

聯合國環境規劃署的一份新的報告稱，地球的保護性臭氧層正在緩慢但明顯地愈合，以其速度，南極洲上空空洞的修復將在大約43年內完成。

臭氧層是存在于距地球表面10千米到50千米之間的大氣層，它保護地球免受太陽強烈的紫外線輻射的傷害，這種輻射與患皮膚癌、白內障，以及農作物損害有關。

“在平流層上層和臭氧層空洞中，我們看到情況正在好轉。”科學評估聯合主席保羅·紐曼說。

The progress is slow， according to the report， presented at the American Meteorological Society convention on January 9， 2023.

The global average amount of ozone 30km high in the atmosphere wont be back to 1980 pre-thinning levels until about 2040， the report said. And it wont be back to normal in the Arctic until 2045.

In Antarctic， where the ozone is so thin， theres an annual giant gaping hole， it wont be fully fixed until 2066， the report said.

The global effort to heal the ozone hole came out of a 1987 agreement called the Montreal Protocol that banned a class of chemicals often used in refrigerants and aerosols.

Scientists and environmental advocates across the world have long hailed the Montreal Protocol as one of the biggest ecological victories for humanity.

The secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organisation， Professor Petteri Taalas， said the healing of the ozone layer showed what could be achieved when the world worked together for the good of the planet.

“Ozone action sets a precedent for climate action，” Professor Taalas said.

根據2023年1月9日在美國氣象學會大會上發表的報告，臭氧層愈合的速度緩慢。

報告稱，大氣中30千米高處的全球平均臭氧量要到2040年左右才能恢復到1980年變薄前的水平。北極要到2045年才能恢復正常。

報告稱，南極洲的臭氧非常稀薄，每年都會出現一個巨大的空洞。南極洲的臭氧層空洞要到2066年才能完全修復。

全球修復臭氧層空洞的努力源于1987年簽署的《蒙特利爾議定書》，該議定書禁止使用一類常用于制冷劑和氣霧劑的化學物質。

長期以來，世界各地的科學家和環保倡導者一直稱贊《蒙特利爾議定書》是人類在生態方面取得的最大勝利之一。

世界氣象組織秘書長佩蒂瑞·塔拉斯教授說，臭氧層的愈合表明，當世界各國為了地球的利益而共同努力時，可以取得什么成就。

“保護臭氧行動為氣候行動開創了先例。”塔拉斯教授說。

Mr Newman， chief earth scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center， said the two main chemicals that munch away at the ozone layer—chlorine and bromine—were now in lower levels in the atmosphere.

Mr Newman said the fact chlorine and bromine levels had stopped growing and were now coming down was “a real testament to the effectiveness of the Montreal Protocol”.

Natural weather patterns in the Antarctic also affect the size of the ozone hole， which peaks in autumn. Weather patterns have caused the hole to be a bit bigger over the past couple of years， but Mr Newman said overall the trend was one of healing.

UN Environment Program director Inger Andersen has previously said the healing of the ozone hole was “saving two million people every year from skin cancer”.

紐曼是美國宇航局戈達德太空飛行中心的首席地球科學家，他說，破壞臭氧層的兩種主要化學物質——氯和溴——目前在大氣中的含量較低。

紐曼表示，氯和溴的含量已經停止增長，現在正在下降，這是“《蒙特利爾議定書》有效性的切實證明”。

南極洲的自然氣候模式也會影響臭氧空洞的大小，臭氧空洞在秋季達到峰值。在過去的幾年里，氣候模式導致這個洞變大了一些，但紐曼先生說，總的來說，這是一個愈合的趨勢。

聯合國環境規劃署執行主任英格爾·安德森此前曾表示，臭氧空洞的愈合“每年使200萬人免于皮膚癌”。

Word Bank

hail /he?l/ v. 贊揚；稱頌

He is being hailed a hero for saving a young child from drowning.

set a precedent 開先例

testament /'test?m?nt/ n. 證明；證據

For him to win the game like that is a testament to his strong will.

effectiveness /?'fekt?vn?s/ n. 有效性；效力