A few days ago, CNN reported the findings of the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service claiming that the hole in the ozone layer is now larger than the Antarctica.
The report added that the ozone depletes and forms a hole over the Antarctic in the Southern Hemisphere during spring, which is from August to October. It was observed that the ozone hole is now larger than 75 percent of the records in previous years and bigger compared with the snow-covered continent it hovers. Antarctica is estimated at 14.2 million square kilometers, a measurement equivalent to the combined sizes of the United States and Mexico.
The ozone is an important layer in the atmosphere that protects us from the deadly ultraviolet radiation from the sun. It also helps regulate the different climatic patterns of the world. The excessive emission of greenhouse gases, like carbon, methane, and chlorofluorocarbons, among others, cause the destruction of the ozone layer.
It is one factor that contributed to global warming that further causes the melting of snow in the iced-covered regions of the Earth. Such a situation is now resulting in the increasing seawater level. Once the seawater level continues to increase, many coastal areas in the world will be inundated, while salt water will contaminate the freshwater natural reservoirs.
Numerous published literature and experts’ opinions have already pointed out that the deterioration of the ozone layer combined with other unaccounted numbers of environmental destruction have caused the phenomenon of climate change, which is now being considered as a global climate crisis.
This is precisely the reason and motivation of the Paris Climate Change Accord, a legally binding international agreement among 196 member-states of the Conference of Parties passed on December 12, 2015 and entered into force on November 4, 2016. The main goal of this convention is to limit global warming to well below, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. The Philippines is a party to this accord.
According to the Global Carbon Project, the top five nations that produce and emit carbon gases are China, United State of America, India, Russia, and Japan. The Union of Concerned Scientists reported that China alone accounts for about 28 percent of the global carbon emission primarily due to burning of coal used for energy. The use of fossilized fuels, deforestation, and agriculture had been known as the main sources of carbon emission, although there are still other contributing factors.
Climate change immensely contributed to the instability of the world’s weather and temperature. We are experiencing now two extreme weather conditions – prolonged dry seasons known as El Niño and extended rainy season or La Niña. Even developed countries are not spared from the devastating natural hazards, like hurricanes and tornadoes, while wildfires are further endangering the remaining natural forests of the world.
While the Philippines have negligible contribution in the overall global carbon emission, it is, however, one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change because we are situated in a highly hazardous region of the globe. This is primarily the reason that we are already experiencing changes in our regular climatic pattern and temperature and extremely dangerous natural hazards and risks.
Scientists warn that once the temperature will keep increasing, it would create more devastating effects to the extent of affecting the different life forms and further destroying the natural cycles of the Earth. Climate change may further endanger us from widespread contamination of viruses, which is actually happening now with the advent of COVID-19.
Habitat destruction will cause wildlife dislocation and they tend to be more frequent in populated areas. Just like the COVID-19 pandemic, several outbreaks in the past resulted from mishandling of some wildlife species, including bats. It is suspected that the coronavirus causing COVID-19 originated from a species of bat. Bats are known carriers of different coronaviruses.
The destruction of the ozone layer is beyond repair. The most we can do is prevent its further deterioration, and the only way is to limit or even prevent carbon emission, especially from the use of fossilized fuels. There is now a growing demand in shifting to renewable energy, such as wind, hydro, and solar sources, from fossilized fuels. Even China is now embarking to large hydro and solar energy systems.
But one concern for putting up large-scale hydropower plants is the hazards on nature because they require a large area to accommodate voluminous water. These maybe dangerous if the development of structures are not carefully planned and are placed in hazardous zones. Hydropower also requires well-protected watersheds and good forests to sustain the water supply it needs.*