Fears grow for Arctic ozone layer

The depletion of the ozone layer shielding Earth from damaging ultraviolet rays has reached an unprecedented low over the Arctic because of harmful chemicals and a cold winter, the UN weather agency warned today.

The World Meteorological Organisation said the Earth’s fragile ozone layer in the Arctic region suffered a loss of about 40% from the start of winter until late March, exceeding the previous seasonal loss of about 30%.