Call for global action to save ozone layer

Islamabad : Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam has asked the global communities that they while focusing its energies on tackling climate change should not neglect the ozone layer and ramp up action to overcome the threat posed by the illegal use of ozone-depleting gases.

In a message on the World Ozone Day being marked today, Malik Amin said another year of climate change-induced floods, hurricane, record heatwaves, superstorms and climate disruptions signified that the world community had no choice but to act now and together before it is too late to completely restore ozone layer, which protected lives on the earth from the ‘very adverse’ impacts of ultraviolet radiation from sunlight when coming down unfiltered through the cracked ozone layer.

"Ozone layer depletion causes increased UV radiation levels at the Earth's surface, which is damaging to human health. Negative effects include increase in certain types of skin cancers, eye cataracts and immune deficiency disorders. UV radiation also affects terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, altering growth, food chains and biochemical cycles, and harms plant growth reducing agricultural productivity," he said.

The premier's aide said life on earth would not be possible without sunlight but the energy emanating from the sun would be too much for life on the earth to thrive if it was not due to the presence of ozone layer.

He said the world needed unity of purpose more than ever as it sought to address nature loss, environmental degradation, climate change and pollution in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the discussions on the replenishment of the multilateral fund.

He said in the current year, Pakistan had achieved 50 per cent hydrochlorofluorocarbon phase-out against the target of 35 per cent set under the Montreal Protocol.