A new report from the United Nations weather agency is just what many will not have wanted to read but it can’t be ignored. The new study demonstrates that ozone layer depletion over the Arctic has reached new record levels that were formally unheard of. The seasonal impact, long understood as a strong barometer of atmospheric damage showed that 40% of the ozone in the region had been lost from the start of Winter through to March, significantly higher than recently recorded levels.

When looking to qualify the finding the World Meteorological Organization blamed a recipe of an extremely cold winter in the stratosphere combined with the continued presence of ozone depleting substances in the atmosphere. Although at surface level the planet actually experienced a winter that was milder than usual this does not translate to stratospheric conditions being the same, in fact they were much colder than the measured normal levels in recent times. The agency stated:

“Although the degree of Arctic ozone destruction in 2011 is unprecedented, it is not unexpected. Ozone scientists have foreseen that significant Arctic ozone loss is possible in the case of a cold and stable Arctic stratospheric winter.”

The ozone losses are a great cause of concern as they represent far more than a marginal upturn. Over the last twenty years the worst results peaked at about 30% ozone loss during the winter, the results this past season at about 40% would represent a one season increase of a third. Amongst the bad news there is some good as the WMO stated that the Montreal Protocol established 24 years ago helped the results to some extent.

“Without the Montreal Protocol, this year’s ozone destruction would most likely have been worse. The slow recovery of the ozone layer is due to the fact that ozone-depleting substances stay in the atmosphere for several decades”

Antarctic ozone hole 1979 vs 2008, however now the Arctic is also becoming worse

At the heart of the hope that this trend can be reversed and lowered in years to come rests future global accords and agreements. While the Montreal and Kyoto agreements have lowered the acceleration of ozone damage our continued propensity toward industrialization and increasing global population means that new and more rigorous standards must be ironed out. While the results from last winter aren’t a huge surprise they nevertheless serve as a timely reminder that the hardest part of emissions reduction is yet to be achieved. The ozone hole presents significant concerns beyond climate change factors, if the Arctic ozone hole should grow to the same size as the Antarctic equivalent it could lead to more than 700 million people being exposed to dangerous UV ray levels. Impact would be greatest in Canada, Northern Europe and Russia.