Karen Smith, a researcher at U of T Scarborough, says ozone-depleting substances are “potent greenhouse gases that stay in the atmosphere for a long time” (photo by Don Campbell)
January 20, 2019
By Don Campbell
The substances responsible for creating a massive hole in the Earth’s ozone layer may account for nearly half of Arctic warming over a 50-year period, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Toronto.
The research, published in Nature Climate Change, highlights how ozone-depleting substances (ODS) are a significant and unrecognized source of 20th-century Arctic climate change.
“Ozone depleting substances in many respects have been an under-appreciated contributor to climate change,” says Karen Smith, an assistant professor, teaching stream, in the department of physical and environmental sciences at U of T Scarborough and one of the authors of the study.
“These are potent greenhouse gases that stay in the atmosphere for a long time, and there’s still a lot we don’t know about their broader impact on climate.”
The compounds in question eat away at the protective layer of ozone located in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. They were commonly used throughout most of 20th century in refrigerants, solvents and propellants like those found in hairsprays.
The Globe and Mail: CFCs are a major driver of Arctic warming, study finds Link here
Newsweek: BANNED OZONE DESTROYING SUBSTANCES CAUSED HALF OF ARCTIC WARMING BETWEEN 1955 AND 2005: ‘CLIMATE MITIGATION IS IN ACTION’ Link here