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Environmental consequences of interacting effects of changes in stratospheric ozone, ultraviolet radiation, and climate: UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, Update 2024

Neale, Patrick J.
[1]; 
Hylander, Samuel
[2]; 
Banaszak, Anastazia T.
[3]; 
Haeder, Donat-P.
[4]; 
Rose, Kevin C.
[5]; 
Vione, Davide
[6]; 
Wangberg, Sten-ake
[7]; 
Jansen, Marcel A. K.
[8]; 
Busquets, Rosa
[9]; 
Andersen, Mads P. Sulbaek
[10]; 
Madronich, Sasha
[11]; 
Hanson, Mark L.
[12]; 
Schikowski, Tamara
[13]; 
Solomon, Keith R.
[14]; 
Sulzberger, Barbara
[15]; 
Wallington, Timothy J.
[16]; 
Heikkila, Anu M.
[17]; 
Pandey, Krishna K.
[18]; 
Andrady, Anthony L.
[19]; 
Bruckman, Laura S.
[20]; 
White, Christopher C.
[21]; 
Zhu, Liping
[22]; 
Bernhard, Germar H.
[23]; 
Bais, Alkiviadis
[24]; 
Aucamp, Pieter J.
[25]; 
Chiodo, Gabriel
[26]; 
Cordero, Raul R.
[27]; 
Petropavlovskikh, Irina
[28]; 
Neale, Rachel E.
[29]; 
Olsen, Catherine M.
[29]; 
Hales, Simon
[30]; 
Lal, Aparna
[31]; 
Lingham, Gareth
[32]; 
Rhodes, Lesley E.
[33]; 
Young, Antony R.
[34]; 
Robson, T. Matthew
[35]; 
Robinson, Sharon A.
[36]; 
Barnes, Paul W.
[37]; 
Bornman, Janet F.
[38]; 
Harper, Anna B.
[39]; 
Lee, Hanna
[40]; 
[41]; 
Ossola, Rachele
[42]; 
Paul, Nigel D.
[43]; 
Revell, Laura E.
[44]; 
Wang, Qing-Wei
[45]; 
Zepp, Richard G.
[46]
  • 1
    Smithsonian Institution
  • 2
    Linnaeus University
  • 3
    Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
  • 4
    University of Erlangen Nuremberg
  • 5
    Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • 6
    University of Turin
  • 7
    University of Gothenburg
  • 8
    University College Cork
  • 9
    Kingston University
  • 10
    California State University System
  • 11
    National Center Atmospheric Research (NCAR) - USA
  • 12
    University of Manitoba
  • 13
    Leibniz Association
  • 14
    University of Guelph
  • 15
    Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology Domain
  • 16
    University of Michigan System
  • 17
    Finnish Meteorological Institute
  • 18
    Indian Acad Wood Sci
  • 19
    North Carolina State University
  • 20
    University System of Ohio
  • 21
    Environm & Hlth Ramboll Management Consulting
  • 22
    Donghua University
  • 23
    Biospher Inc
  • 24
    Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
  • 25
    Ptersa Environm Consultant
  • 26
    Complutense University of Madrid
  • 27
    Universidad de Santiago de Chile
  • 28
    University of Colorado System
  • 29
    QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
  • 30
    University of Otago
  • 31
    Australian National University
  • 32
    University of Western Australia
  • 33
    University of Manchester
  • 34
    University of London
  • 35
    University of Cumbria
  • 36
    University of Wollongong
  • 37
    Loyola University New Orleans
  • 38
    Murdoch University
  • 39
    University System of Georgia
  • 40
    Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU)
  • 41
    Centro universitario UMAG Cabo de Hornos  
  • 42
    Colorado State University System
  • 43
    Lancaster University
  • 44
    University of Canterbury
  • 45
    Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • 46
    United States Environmental Protection Agency
DOI
Date Issued
2025-03
Type
Artículo
Journal
Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences
ISSN
1474-905X
1474-9092
Open Access
hybrid
Volume
24
Start page
357
End page
392
Links
This Assessment Update by the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) addresses the interacting effects of changes in stratospheric ozone, solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and climate on the environment and human health. These include new modelling studies that confirm the benefits of the Montreal Protocol in protecting the stratospheric ozone layer and its role in maintaining a stable climate, both at low and high latitudes. We also provide an update on projected levels of solar UV-radiation during the twenty-first century. Potential environmental consequences of climate intervention scenarios are also briefly discussed, illustrating the large uncertainties of, for example, Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI). Modelling studies predict that, although SAI would cool the Earth's surface, other climate factors would be affected, including stratospheric ozone depletion and precipitation patterns. The contribution to global warming of replacements for ozone-depleting substances (ODS) are assessed. With respect to the breakdown products of chemicals under the purview of the Montreal Protocol, the risks to ecosystem and human health from the formation of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as a degradation product of ODS replacements are currently de minimis. UV-radiation and climate change continue to have complex interactive effects on the environment due largely to human activities. UV-radiation, other weathering factors, and microbial action contribute significantly to the breakdown of plastic waste in the environment, and in affecting transport, fate, and toxicity of the plastics in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and the atmosphere. Sustainability demands continue to drive industry innovations to mitigate environmental consequences of the use and disposal of plastic and plastic-containing materials. Terrestrial ecosystems in alpine and polar environments are increasingly being exposed to enhanced UV-radiation due to earlier seasonal snow and ice melt because of climate warming and extended periods of ozone depletion. Solar radiation, including UV-radiation, also contributes to the decomposition of dead plant material, which affects nutrient cycling, carbon storage, emission of greenhouse gases, and soil fertility. In aquatic ecosystems, loss of ice cover is increasing the area of polar oceans exposed to UV-radiation with possible negative effects on phytoplankton productivity. However, modelling studies of Arctic Ocean circulation suggests that phytoplankton are circulating to progressively deeper ocean layers with less UV irradiation. Human health is also modified by climate change and behaviour patterns, resulting in changes in exposure to UV-radiation with harmful or beneficial effects depending on conditions and skin type. For example, incidence of melanoma has been associated with increased air temperature, which affects time spent outdoors and thus exposure to UV-radiation. Overall, implementation of the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments has mitigated the deleterious effects of high levels of UV-radiation and global warming for both environmental and human health.
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