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Are ozone depletion and climate change linked?
Last updated 08 August 2002
Originally answered 8 August 2002
Full Question
Are ozone depletion and climate change linked?
Answer
According to the UNEP/WMO “Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2002,” ozone-layer depletion and climate change are linked in a number of ways, but ozone depletion is not a major cause of climate change. The stratosphere cools when ozone is destroyed because there is less ozone to absorb UV radiation. This cooling in turn affects air motions and chemical processes that are related to climate. In addition, some ozone-depleting gases (and, indeed, ozone itself) are also heat-absorbing “greenhouse gases,” so they play a dual role in climate change and ozone depletion. The potential contributions to climate change from ozone and ozone-depleting gases is smaller than from changes in other important atmospheric gases.
The above entry is posted under the following topic(s): Atmospheric Chemistry and Composition • Climate Variability and Change • Other • Impacts of Ozone Depletion • To link uniquely to the question and answer displayed above, please refer to this page where they are permanently posted. |
