Stratospheric Ozone Levels Over Europe Have Dropped

The European Space Agency reported in early December that

stratospheric ozone levels over parts of Belgium, Britain, The Netherlands, and Scandinavia have dropped significantly—though not as low as levels above the Antarctic. Measurements taken in The Netherlands found localized ozone levels to be two-thirds below the norm for this time of year, according to a December 3 article from Reuters. Stratospheric ozone blocks the most damaging ultraviolet radiation; with loss of ozone, skin cancer rates have increased. Though ozone levels are projected to begin recovering within a few years due to reduced emissions of ozone-depleting substances already achieved, non-governmental organizations have been critical of the United Nations for not acting more aggressively to ban the fumigant methyl bromide, which is significantly more destructive of ozone than HCFCs.