Ozone hole three times size of US (Did Aljazeera get it's info from Algore's book?)

Aljazeera. ^ | 09/24/03 | (Saddam) Staff Writer

[bedolido]

The huge size of the hole in the ozone layer is at a record level measuring 28 million square kilometres, according to the World Meterological Organisation.

Three times the size of the United States, the ozone hole has continued to grow over the last few weeks and is set to reach a maximum size in late September.

The consequences are likely to be serious and far-reaching.

WMO Professor Obasi warned on Wednesday that the most immediate threat to humankind relate to “increased variability in the intensity and frequency of storms … floods and droughts, heat waves in major urban areas and the impact of sea-level rise on low-lying coastal regions”.

Decade of evidence

Over the last ten years, the number of disasters of hydrometeorological origin has increased significantly, Obasi says.

Worldwide, recurrent drought and desertification seriously threaten the livelihood of over 1.7 billion people who depend on land for most of their needs.

The 1997/1998 El Niño event, the strongest of the last century, is estimated to have affected 110 million people and cost the global economy nearly $100 billion.

Insurance

Statistics compiled from insurance companies for the period 1950-1999 show that the major natural catastrophes caused estimated economic losses of nearly $1 trillion.

A leading reinsurance company estimates global warming impacts could cost an additional $300 billion annually by 2050.

Worse, the size of the hole has not decreased despite reductions in ozone-depleting chemicals.

Long-term hope

However, measurements show that most of these chemicals are decreasing in the lower atmosphere and appear to have reached their peak in the critically important layer in the stratosphere.

There is a delay in chemical cleansing the ozone layer, and it is expected to require years before the stratosphere returns to pre-ozone hole conditions.

Complete recovery of the ozone layer will require the enforcement of international agreements for many years to come.

Agencies

[CaptRon]

Bush did it.

[steveo]

we're all gonna die :(

[jimkress]

[Cindy]

Aljazeera = Mass Media for the Moronic Masses.

[CobraJet]

So the Clean Air Act of 1990 did us no good? Banning Freon and other things haven't helped? Who is going to tell the democrats that their environmental programs don't work?

[My2Cents]

Finally, a hole big enough to drive Wesley Clark's ego through.

[microgood]

Haven't they heard duct tape will patch up anything?

[RightWhale]

Tell Aljazz the ozone hole has increased in size due to the combustion of the Kuwaiti oilfields and the World Trade Center and some SUVs in the dealer's lot in California.

[UCANSEE2]

Al Jazzy is being booted out of Iraq, and this is their way of getting revenge. Try to convince everyone that the ozone layer is almost gone, and it surely is the fault of the US.

[Leroy S. Mort]

Dogs and cats living together; mass hysteria.....

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

If this is what the enviromentalists are claiming then none of the enviromental policies or clean up efforts work,Therefore WHY ARE WE WASTING TIME AND MONEY?Not to worry,the whole movement has been making these wild claims for decades and its all A HOAX!

[Imal]

Worse, the size of the hole has not decreased despite reductions in ozone-depleting chemicals.

Maybe because they have little or nothing to do with it. I notice the article does not mention ozone depletions from natural causes, such as volcanic activity, at all.

Could there be a reason why they are not reporting the most significant reason for ozone depletion in this alarmist piece?

Complete recovery of the ozone layer will require the enforcement of international agreements for many years to come.

Yes, there is, and here is the agenda behind the article. Apparently, more money needs to be made off the CFC scare, and Al Jazeera is on board with that "noble" cause.

Billions of dollars in private profits from government-enforced environmental mandates only go so far. We need to keep the gravy train running, people!

[24Karet]

What about all those countries who DO NOT have any environmental regulations or emissions standards. What about those countries who are still using regular-leaded gasoline? What about all those terrorists and miscreants who are bombing the oil piplelines in Iraq?

But, I wouldn't be suprised if they tried to blame US.

-- 24Karet

[Jaded]

Three times the size of the United States, the ozone hole has continued to grow over the last few weeks and is set to reach a maximum size in late September.

The consequences are likely to be serious and far-reaching.

Can it wait until next weekend, I have a long weekend coming up and I don't have time for this "serious and far-reaching" nonsense.

[BeerSwillr]

Complete recovery of the ozone layer will require the enforcement of international agreements for many years to come. I doubt that. It's part of a natural cycle and will recover on it's own. Silly alarmists.

[BeerSwillr]

Great graphic!

[KevinDavis]

Banning freon sure helped the Columbia

[randog]

Who is going to tell the democrats that their environmental programs don't work?

I'd tell 'em, but I'm too busy filling them in on their failed education policies. The answer to both problems, however, is identical--WE OBVIOUSLY NEED TO SPEND MORE MONEY!!!

[singsong]

The ozon "hole" has always been there (south pole) at the end of the south winter. Simply because in order to produce ozone the atmosphere needs... sunshine. There is none during the entire, long, polar winter. Freon was banned by Algomoron as way to push Amercans into expensive AC upgrades. Well, the Pubs also voted for it sheepishly after the media drowned any voice of reason.