Report: Ozone Hole May Disappear by 2050 (Algore the last to know...)

Yahoo News ^ | 5/20/06

[Libloather]

Report: Ozone Hole May Disappear by 2050
Sat May 20, 9:01 AM ET

TOKYO - The ozone hole over the Antarctic is likely to begin contracting in the future and may disappear by 2050 because of a reduction in the release of chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-depleting gases, according to a team of Japanese scientists.

The findings are based on a series of numerical simulations carried out by Eiji Akiyoshi of the National Institute for Environmental Studies, near Tokyo, using projected emissions of chlorofluorocarbons and other gases blamed for the ozone hole.

According to a report posted Friday on the institute's Web site, the hole is at its largest now but is likely to gradually start contracting around 2020 and disappear by around 2050.

The team's findings are in line with research by other scientists.

Some, however, have suggested the hole won't heal until much later because old refrigerators and air-conditioning systems — many in the United States and Canada — are still releasing ozone-killing chemicals. Both countries curbed those chemicals in newer products.

Satellites and ground stations have been monitoring the ozone hole over the South Pole since its discovery in the 1980s.

Chlorofluorocarbon levels in the earth's atmosphere have been declining since the mid-1990s due to international efforts to reduce emissions.

[LukeL]

Some, however, have suggested the hole won't heal until much later because old refrigerators and air-conditioning systems — many in the United States and Canada — are still releasing ozone-killing chemicals

I think the problem is much greater in Mexico, Central America, South America, Eastern Europe, Russia, and South East Asia. But that isn't the PC thing to say.

[TheWasteLand]

Or maybe environmental "science" is about as scientific as phrenology. Just maybe.

[Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit]

The hole in the ozone layer, and the successful efforts that have been made to solve the problem are a credit to international cooperation and science.

It was a real problem. The problem was recognized by the scientific community. The companies (there were about 8 major producers of CFCs in the world) that were causing the problem were convinced that there was a problem and helped be part of the solution.

The solution required politicians because it was of such a large scale and such a tremendous economic and ecologic impact.

Those who use it as a political lightning rod on the left or right are simply blind to the science and generally positioning themselves for advantage one way or another.

There are other very similar issues out there now and there will be more in the future as the global economy grows and the impact on global ecology and chemistry increases.

To deny that, is to have your head in the sand. To get too worked up and promote stopping capitalism, is to be chicken little.

[Cementjungle]

An update on this from NASA:

here at this link