SINGAPORE — The world's ozone layer is on "the road to long-term recovery" despite a destructive volcanic eruption in the South Pacific, the World Meteorological Organisation said on Sept 17, after efforts to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals.

On current trends, the ozone layer is on track to recover to 1980 levels by around 2066 over the Antarctic, 2045 over the Arctic and 2040 for the rest of the world, the United Nations agency said.

Though the volcanic eruption near Tonga in early 2022 led to a short period of accelerated depletion of ozone above Antarctica in 2023, driven by higher levels of atmospheric water vapour, overall losses were limited, it said in its annual ozone bulletin.

The ozone layer protects the earth from the sun's ultraviolet radiation, which is linked to skin cancer and other health risks.

The Montreal Protocol, which came into effect in 1989, agreed to phase out chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-depleting substances, and its success "stands out as a powerful symbol of hope" at a time when multilateral co-operation has come under strain, said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement.

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