Ozone

ISSUES

Ozone is a gas naturally present in the atmosphere, but in very low quantities. It is colorless and has a very strong odor that gave it its name (from Greek ozein, odor). About 90% of the atmospheric ozone is located in the stratosphere (region between an altitude of about 10 and 50 km) and comprises what one calls the ozone layer. It absorbs a large part of ultraviolent rays which are very dangerous in heavy doses, and thus protects life on Earth. (1)
The protective ozone layer must not be confused with the ozone present at low altitude (in the troposphere) and linked to urban pollution. It is only loosely linked to stratospheric ozone. Gases due to pollution can not plug up the hole in the ozone layer.
The hole in the ozone layer

NEWS

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - ASIA may be exporting more than just goods to the US. The world's emerging industrial hubs in the region seem to be...

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - WASHINGTON - L'Agence américaine de protection de l'environnement (EPA) a proposé jeudi un renforcement des normes pour...

FRANCE - BRUXELLES - La Commission européenne et l'agence pour l'Environnement ont mis en ligne lundi un registre permettant aux...

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DEBATES

Provocative New Study Warns of Crossing Planetary Boundaries

Carl Zimmer

Human civilization has had a stable childhood. Over the past 10,000 years, as our ancestors invented agriculture and built...

Is depletion of the ozone layer the principal cause of climate change?

Ozone depletion itself is not the principal cause of...

Ozone hole alters Antarctic sea life

The ozone hole over Antarctica could be having a bigger...

FOCUS

The Montreal Protocol

It is possible to reach an agreement on the climate rapidly. The negotiations that led to the Montreal Protocol in 1987 showed this to be true. The aim of this protocol is to reduce and eventually eliminate...

VIDEOS

28/12/2009

Au Brésil, la lutte contre les chlorofluocarbure (ou CFCs utilisés...

27/02/2009

Cette enquête de l'EIA dévoile la réalité d'un commerce illégal en Chine...

GREEN TIPS

Improving health through education

In 2004 in Ethiopia, a women's education program was led by the Red Cross International Committee (Comité...

INDICATORS

Ecological footprint

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