International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
The brittle gas shield known as the ozone layer, shields the Earth from the sun's destructive ultraviolet rays, preserving life on the planet. In addition to protecting the ozone layer for current and future generations, the phaseout of controlled uses of ozone depleting substances and the resulting reductions have made a significant contribution to global efforts to combat climate change. By preventing harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching Earth, these actions have also protected human health and ecosystems. Scientists first noticed a huge hole in the layer in 1985. Two years later, the Montreal Protocol was ratified by 46 nations, who pledged to gradually phase out the dangerous substances.
