Summary
12 September 2014
The Earth's protective ozone layer is starting to repair itself, according to a panel of United Nations scientists. The main reason behind its recovery, they say, is the fact that certain chemicals, such as those used in aerosol cans, were gradually banned in the 1980s.
Reporter:
Roger Harrabin
UV light can be harmful
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Report
It was in the 1980s that many of us became aware that small individual actions could harm the planet itself.
Hairsprays were cited as one of the causes of the hole in the Antarctic ozone layer. People were told to wear sunscreen to avoid skin cancer as the layer thinned and more UV light got through.
By 1987 world governments had agreed to ban most of the ozone-eating chemicals.
The World Meteorological Organisation say at last the ozone layer is showing signs of thickening, although it will be a while before they know if the hole is actually healing.
The same organisation warned earlier this week that climate change was heading in the opposite direction with greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a record level.
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Vocabulary
- aware
having knowledge of something existing
- harm
hurt or injure
- UV light
light from the sun humans can't see and which can cause cancer
- healing
(here) recovering
- warned
alerted about danger
- climate change
significant variation in the Earth's temperature
- greenhouse gases
carbon dioxide and other gases which cause climate change
