Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2010

Executive Summary

2010 Ozone Assessment Executive Summary cover
Executive Summary

It has been recognized since the 1970s that a number of compounds emitted by human activities deplete stratospheric ozone. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was adopted in 1987 to protect global ozone and, consequently, protect life from increased ultraviolet (UV) radiation at Earth's surface. Chlorine- and bromine-containing substances that are controlled by the Montreal Protocol are known as ozone-depleting substances (ODSs). ODSs are responsible for the depletion of stratospheric ozone observed in polar regions (for example, the "ozone hole" above Antarctica) and in middle latitudes. The severe depletion of stratospheric ozone observed in the Antarctic has increased UV at the surface and affected climate at southern high latitudes.

The Montreal Protocol and its Amendments and Adjustments have successfully controlled the global production and consumption of ODSs over the last two decades, and the atmospheric abundances of nearly all major ODSs that were initially controlled are declining. Nevertheless, ozone depletion will continue for many more decades because several key ODSs last a long time in the atmosphere after emissions end.

In contrast to the diminishing role of ODSs, changes in climate are expected to have an increasing influence on stratospheric ozone abundances in the coming decades. These changes derive principally from the emissions of long-lived greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide (CO2), associated with human activities. An important remaining scientific challenge is to project future ozone abundances based on an understanding of the complex linkages between ozone and climate change.

Most ODSs are potent greenhouse gases. The buildup of ODS abundances over the last decades contributes to global warming. The actions taken under the Montreal Protocol have reduced the substantial contributions these gases would have made to global warming.

There is now new and stronger evidence of the effect of stratospheric ozone changes on Earth's surface climate, and of the effects of climate change on stratospheric ozone. These results are an important part of the new assessment of the depletion of the ozone layer presented here.

Changes in Gases that Affect Stratospheric Ozone and climate

Changes in the global atmospheric abundance of a substance are determined by the balance between its emissions and removals from the atmosphere. Declines observed for ozone-depleting substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol are due to global emission reductions that have made emissions smaller than removals. Most ODSs are potent greenhouse gases. As the majority of ODSs have been phased out, demand for hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) substitutes for the substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol has increased; these are also greenhouse gases. HCFCs deplete much less ozone per kilogram emitted than chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), while HFCs are essentially non-ozone depleting gases.

Ozone-Depleting Substances and Substitutes: Tropospheric Abundances and Emissions

CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, and Climate Change

Total Chlorine and Bromine and Implications for Ozone Depletion

Ozone and Climate: Antarctic

The Antarctic ozone hole is the clearest manifestation of the effect of ODSs on the ozone layer. The depletion far exceeds natural variability and has occurred without exception since 1980. The ozone hole also provides the most visible example of how ozone depletion affects surface climate.

Figure ES-2. Schematic of the influence of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) and climate change on the stratospheric ozone layer, and the influence of ozone changes on surface ultraviolet radiation.

Figure ES-2

Ozone and Climate: Global and Arctic

As a result of the controls introduced by the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments and Adjustments, it is expected that the decline in ODSs will lead to an increase in stratospheric ozone abundances. However, it will be challenging to attribute ozone increases to the decreases in ODSs during the next few years because of natural variability, observational uncertainty, and confounding factors, such as changes in stratospheric temperature or water vapor. A feature of this Assessment is the coordinated use by the community of chemistry-climate models (CCMs) with integrations covering the period from 1960-2100, which has allowed more detailed study of the long-term changes in the stratosphere and of the relative contributions of ODSs and greenhouse gases (GHGs).

Information for Policymakers and Options for Policy Formulation

Cases related to the elimination of future emissions, production, and banks for various ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) can be formulated starting from a baseline future emission scenario. The baseline scenario here has been developed to account for past and present levels of ODSs along with emission projections. This scenario projects that stratospheric chlorine and bromine levels are likely to return to 1980 levels in midcentury for the midlatitudes and about 25 years later in the Antarctic vortex. These additional cases are used to evaluate the impact of various hypothetical policy options.

Information for Policymakers

Due to the success of the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments and Adjustments in reducing the production, emissions, and abundances of controlled ODSs, emissions from other compounds and activities not controlled by the Montreal Protocol have become relatively more important to stratospheric ozone.

Options for Policy Formulation

Additional cases have been developed to show the impact of further control measures on various substances. Table ES-1 shows the percentage reductions in integrated chlorine and bromine levels and integrated GWP-weighted emissions, relative to the baseline scenario, that can be achieved in these hypothetical cases.

Table ES-1. Hypothetical cases.

Reductions in integrated chlorine and bromine levels (as measured by equivalent effective stratospheric chlorine, EESC) and integrated GWP-weighted emissions, relative to the baseline scenario, that can be achieved in hypothetical cases developed to show the impact of further control measures on various substances.

Substance or Group of SubstancesReductions (%) in Integrated EESC (equivalent effective stratospheric chlorine)Reduction in Cumulative GWP-Weighted Emissions from 2011 to 2050 (gigatonnes of CO2-equivalent)
Bank capture and destruction in 2011 and 2015:2011201520112015
CFCs117.07.95.5
Halons149.10.40.3
HCFCs4.85.3 14.95.5 1

Production elimination after 2010:
HCFCs8.813.2
CH3Br for quarantine and pre-shipment6.70.002

Total emissions elimination after 2010:
CCl4 27.60.9
CH3CCl30.10.004
HFCs0.0Up to 170 3

1 The impact of a 2015 HCFC bank recovery is larger than a 2011 bank recovery because this calculation assumes destruction of the bank in only a single year, and because the bank in 2015 is larger than the bank in 2011 owing to continued annual production that is larger than the annual bank release.
2 Banks are assumed to be zero. Emissions include uncertain sources such as possible fugitive emissions and unintended by-product emissions.
3 Strongly dependent on future projections and does not consider HFC-23 emissions. Currently HFCs are not controlled by the Montreal Protocol, but are included in the basket of gases of the Kyoto Protocol.


[1] GWP-weighted emissions, also known as CO2-equivalent emissions, are defined as the amount of gas emitted multiplied by its 100-year Global Warming Potential (GWP).

[2] Positive radiative forcings generally warm the surface; negative radiative forcings generally cool the surface.