September 16 – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer

In 1994, the General Assembly proclaimed 16 September as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. The Day is established in commemoration of the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

On 16 September 1987, 36 countries, including the Republic of Belarus, signed a document according to which the participating countries must limit and completely cease the production of ozone-depleting substances. This document obliges countries to reduce, and eventually abolish, the production of ozone-depleting substances. To date, the treaty has been signed and is being implemented by 197 countries worldwide. In fact, this situation is unique: no other agreement has managed to unite so many countries.

The issue of preserving the ozone layer, which protects all living things on Earth from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation, is among the top priorities for all countries of the world. The motto of the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is: "Protect the sky: protect yourself – protect the ozone layer".

The ozone layer, this thin gaseous shield, protects the Earth from the harmful effects of solar radiation, thereby contributing to the preservation of life on the planet. It stretches over the Earth like a huge blanket extending into space. Its thickness on the scale of the Earth's atmosphere can be compared to a sheet of paper on the scale of a library. Meanwhile, this already thin layer is thinning even further.

The main task of humanity is to take measures aimed at preserving ozone at both the industrial and domestic levels. Specialists from the National Scientific Research Center for Ozone Layer Monitoring (hereinafter referred to as the Monitoring Center) monitor changes in the thickness of the ozone layer over the country. This institution was established in June 1997 and has 19 scientific employees. Every day, the Center's staff monitor the total ozone content in the upper and lower layers of the atmosphere. "Upper" ozone, located between the troposphere and the stratosphere, protects the Earth from solar radiation. However, "ground-level" ozone is a pollutant, poisons the human respiratory system, and harms plants. Its content in the atmosphere requires regular monitoring, as even small concentrations are sufficient for its toxicity to manifest.

The Laws of the Republic of Belarus "On Environmental Protection" and "On Atmospheric Air Protection" enshrine the requirements for reducing and subsequently ceasing the use of chemical substances that have a harmful effect on the ozone layer.