The United Nations has published a report in which it stated that the Earth's ozone layer could recover within a few decades.. The organization noted that international efforts aimed at preserving it have paid off, BBC reports..

In 1987, an international treaty was signed to end the use of harmful chemicals that harmed the ozone layer.. And this agreement played an important role.

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The ozone layer is a thin part of the Earth's atmosphere that absorbs most of the sun's radiation.. When it becomes thinner, most of this radiation reaches the surface and can harm living organisms.. UV rays can damage DNA and cause sunburn, and increase the risk of diseases such as skin cancer..

The ozone layer began to thin in the 1970s. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) commonly found in aerosol cans, refrigerators, foam insulation and air conditioners are considered the main culprits for its degradation..

The ozone hole was discovered by scientists in 1985. Just two years later, the Montreal Protocol was signed: 46 countries promised to phase out harmful substances. This agreement later became the first UN treaty to receive universal ratification, and the world phased out almost 99% of banned ozone-depleting substances..

The Antarctic ozone hole continued to grow until 2000, and then began to gradually decrease. New UN report, along with US and EU agencies, says Montreal Protocol has worked as expected.

The ozone layer is expected to be able to recover to the levels of the 1980s within decades if the current CFC phase-out policy is maintained.. This restoration will take place in several stages.. By 2045, it will be restored in the Arctic, by 2066 - over the Antarctic, about two decades will be needed to restore over other regions of the Earth.

The depletion of the ozone layer is harmful due to the effects of radiation, but it is not the main cause of global warming..

However, restoring the ozone layer may be important in combating climate change, as some of the gases that have been phased out have been potent greenhouse gases..

Recall that in the summer, Qing-Bing Lu, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, published a study in which he spoke about the appearance of a giant ozone hole over the tropics, which had gone unnoticed since the 1980s.. However, experts criticized this study, calling it untenable..