MSP Supports International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer

Banff and Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has highlighted the importance of International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, which takes place on Sunday 16th September.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr Stevenson said:

“There is an urgent need to preserve the ozone layer, which filters sunlight and prevents the adverse effects of ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth's surface, thereby preserving life on the planet.

“The awareness day was designated by the United Nations to commemorate a very important day in world history. In 1987, 24 countries met in Montreal and announced to the world that the time had come to stop destroying the ozone layer and in so doing, these countries committed themselves to rid the world of substances that threaten the ozone layer.

“The ozone layer acts as a giant umbrella over the earth and protects us from exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation. When the ozone layer thins, high levels of UV radiation reach the earth's surface and threaten our health and our environment dramatically. Each 1% reduction of the ozone layer leads to a 2% increase in the incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer as well as to a higher incidence of cataracts and blindness.

“To date, 184 countries have ratified the Montreal Protocol, which seeks the elimination of substances that destroy the ozone layer as its final objective and I hope that we continue to see progress in this regard.”