Antarctic ozone layer shows signs of recovery, NASA reports

NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have reported encouraging signs of recovery in the Antarctic ozone layer, which reached an estimated annual peak of 8.83 million square miles on September 9. While still substantial, scientists noted that this year’s ozone hole is smaller than in many earlier years ranking as the fifth smallest since 1992.

According to researchers, the steady healing trend can largely be traced to the Montreal Protocol, the landmark international agreement that phased out chemicals known to damage the ozone layer. Experts say that if current progress continues, the ozone layer could return to its pre-depletion health sometime later this century.

Paul Newman, senior scientist with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and head of NASA’s ozone research team at Goddard Space Flight Center, said the latest data aligns with long-term predictions. “We’re seeing the Antarctic ozone holes becoming smaller compared to the early 2000s,” he noted. “They’re also forming later in the year and closing earlier. But full recovery to 1980s conditions will still take time.”

Between September 7 and October 13, the typical period when ozone depletion peaks, the average size of the ozone hole measured 7.23 million square miles. NASA scientists also pointed out that in 2025, the hole began breaking apart almost three weeks earlier than the average of the previous decade.

NOAA’s Stephen Montzka added that concentrations of ozone-depleting substances in the Antarctic stratosphere have fallen by roughly one-third since their peak around 2000. These harmful compounds once widely used in cooling systems, foam production, and aerosol sprays can release chlorine and bromine into the atmosphere, accelerating ozone loss.

The ozone layer sits between 11 and 50 km above Earth and acts as a shield, absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation. Its recovery is seen as one of the most significant environmental success stories driven by global cooperation.