TL: OZONE DEPLETION: GREENPEACE BACKGROUND BRIEFING PAPER NO. 1 RECENT MAJOR SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS SO: Greenpeace New Zealand (GP) DT: 1991 Keywords: greenpeace factsheets background atmosphere ozone reductions cfcs new zealand australasia facts / 1991 was a bumper year for ozone depletion world wide. A NASA Report released in April 1991 showed that ozone depletion over mid- northern latitudes including the USA, Western Europe and other highly populated areas, was occurring twice as fast as previously thought. Joseph Farman, the British scientist who discovered the Antarctic ozone hole, said at a press conference held by the UK Department of the Environment in October 1991 that, "ozone depletion over Northern Europe could reach levels as high as 30% by the year 2000." According to Dr Paul Lehman from the Bureau of Meteorology, Sydney is experiencing total ozone losses of between 5-10% from December 1991 through to February and March 1992 from general global ozone depletion and from the ozone diluted air from the Antarctic ozone hole moving up over the southern parts of Australia. January will experience the worst ozone losses during the summer period, when people are most exposed. For every 10 % of ozone depletion, a 20% increase in UVB radiation may occur. (UNEP) The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) released two reports on ozone depletion in 1991, one on the scientific assessment and the other on environmental impacts. The science Report stated that for the first time there was evidence of spring and summer ozone depletion both in the northern and southern hemispheres - previously it had been in winter only - when the suns harmful UV rays are at their strongest and pose the most danger to human health, crops and marine life. The science Report also said that for the first time there was evidence of significant ozone loss in the arctic and the heavily populated northern hemisphere mid latitudes (UNEP, Oct. 1991). Furthermore UNEP predicted a worsening situation ... due to the atmospheric abundances of chlorine and bromine (from CFCs and Halons) and with the increases in these chemicals that are expected by the year 2000, significant additional losses of ozone are expected at middle latitudes and the Arctic. Additional ozone losses during the 1990s in the mid latitudes are expected to be comparable to those observed in the 1980s (UNEP, Oct. 1991). Given that the best scientific predictions have consistently been underestimates this is extremely worrying news indeed. The Antarctic ozone hole UNEP stated that the 1991 Antarctic ozone hole was as deep and as extensive as those of 1987, 1989 and 1990. Such deep holes are occurring now in consecutive years when previously they were usually every second year, this indicates that halogen chemistry (from CFCs and Halons) is becoming dominant over the natural biennial fluctuations of Antarctic ozone presence (UNEP, Oct. 1991). In October 1991 NASA released figures which showed that ozone in the atmosphere over Antarctica reached its lowest ever on record - some 60% less than ozone levels prior to the late 1970s. UNEP claims that even with worldwide compliance on the current phase-out schedule for CFCs and other ozone destroying substances under the revised Montreal Protocol and if there are no continued uses of HCFCs, the Antarctic ozone hole is not expected to be eliminated until sometime between the middle and the end of the next century. Australia, New Zealand and other southern hemisphere nations face serious ozone depletion for decades to come. Large increases in surface ultraviolet (UV) radiation have been observed in the Antarctic (UNEP, Oct. 1991). For every 10% of ozone lost there is a 20% increase of UV radiation reaching the earth's surface. Impacts The UNEP impacts Report predicts that by the year 2000 there will be `well in excess of 300,000' additional non-melanoma skin cancers world wide due to the expected 10% ozone loss over mid latitudes - this a 26% increase of such cancers. UNEP also predicts that by the year 2000 ozone depletion will account for between 1.6 and 1.75 additional million cases of eye cataracts annually worldwide which of course cause blindness. Other effects on the eye include age related near sightedness and deformation of the lens capsule. Immunosuppression from UV radiation has now been demonstrated in humans regardless of light or dark pigmentation, hence all of the world's population is potentially at risk from damage to the immune system from increased levels of UV radiation. (UNEP, Nov. 1991). This means that we could see increased incidences of cancers and other diseases such as malaria, herpes, tuberculosis and leprosy - some have likened the attributes of UV immunosuppression to AIDS. There have already been reports from southern Chile of incidences of sheep, rabbits and salmon suffering blindness and school children who have skin allergies and unusual sun burn. Chilean dermatologists have reported incidences of benign lesions that have increased in quantity and intensity. Chilean scientists are concerned that these incidents could be the result of ozone depletion. (Financial Times 6-11-91, Toronto Star 7-12-91) The recent UNEP impacts Report states that the growth and photosynthesis of some plants such as rye, maize and sunflower are inhibited even under ambient levels of UV. This Report also indicates that the aquatic ecosystem is already under stress from UV, any increase could cause detrimental effects. Photoplankton, which forms the basis for the marine food chain, is particularly at risk - this in turn has consequences for the whole food web effecting human food sources (UNEP, Nov. 1991). References: Executive Summary, Science Assessment of Stratospheric Ozone, 1991, United Nations Environment Program, 22 October 1991. Executive Summary, Environmental Effects of Ozone Depletion: 1991 Update, United Nations Environment Program, November 1991. Greenpeace Australia, January 1992.