Ozone is a naturally occurring gas found in the atmosphere where it absorbs most of the sun's ultraviolet light - invisible rays which are harmful to both plant and animal life.

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The Ozone Layer and Climate Change

These two separate issues are often confused but they are related.  Some scientists think that global warming could have a negative effect on the recovery of the ozone layer.  Some proffered solutions to global warming could help resolve one problem, whilst exacerbating another.  Take the idea of releasing sulphur compounds into the atmosphere, mimicking a volcano.  This would have a cooling effect but could cause greater ozone depletion.

Ozone depletion has a cooling effect!  Conversely as the hole over Antarctica heals up, it most probably will lead to temperature rises!  But we need the ozone layer to survive!

On the other hand it's not just with ozone that CFCs wreak havoc, they're also a potent greenhouse gas. In 2013 research published in the journal Nature Geoscience linked the ban to a 'pause' or slowdown in temperature increases since the mid 1990s.

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