Author ORCID Identifier
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-19-2024
Abstract
The protection of Earth’s stratospheric ozone (O3) is an ongoing process under the auspices of the universally ratified Montreal Protocol and its Amendments and adjustments. A critical part of this process is the assessment of the environmental issues related to changes in O3. The United Nations Environment Programme’s Environmental Effects Assessment Panel provides annual scientific evaluations of some of the key issues arising in the recent collective knowledge base. This current update includes a comprehensive assessment of the incidence rates of skin cancer, cataract and other skin and eye diseases observed worldwide; the effects of UV radiation on tropospheric oxidants, and air and water quality; trends in breakdown products of fluorinated chemicals and recent information of their toxicity; and recent technological innovations of building materials for greater resistance to UV radiation. These issues span a wide range of topics, including both harmful and beneficial effects of exposure to UV radiation, and complex interactions with climate change. While the Montreal Protocol has succeeded in preventing large reductions in stratospheric O3, future changes may occur due to a number of natural and anthropogenic factors. Thus, frequent assessments of potential environmental impacts are essential to ensure that policies remain based on the best available scientific knowledge. Graphical abstract: (Figure presented.)
Language
English
Publication Title
Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences
Grant
2019-34263-30552
Rights
© The Author(s) 2024. This is an Open Access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Madronich, S., Bernhard, G.H., Neale, P.J. et al. Continuing benefits of the Montreal Protocol and protection of the stratospheric ozone layer for human health and the environment. Photochem Photobiol Sci 23, 1087–1115 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43630-024-00577-8
Manuscript Version
Final Publisher Version