OZONE LAYER

Scientists believe that Global Warming will lead to a weaker Ozone layer, because as the surface temperature rises, the stratosphere (the Ozone layer being found in the upper part) will get colder, making the natural repairing of the Ozone slower.

NASA, for example, reports that by 2030, "climate change may surpass chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as the main driver of overall ozone loss."

The Ozone layer protects all life on Earth from the harmful effects of the Sun's rays. It has been depleting for many years now. Scientists have said that currently over Antarctica the Ozone hole is three times the size of the United States and growing.

Also, according to scientists, more than 60 percent of the ozone layer blanketing the Arctic Circle was lost in the 1999/2000 winter.

Also, September 9 to 10, 2000, the ozone hole stretched over a populated city for the first time. It was in Punta Arenas, a southern Chile city of about 120,000 people, exposing residents to very high levels of ultra violet radiation.

The ozone depletion has also been correlated with higher levels of cancer in humans and animals.

POLAR BEARS

 Polar bears are widely being associated as the clear negative sign of ongoing climate change phenomenon. The rapid changes in sensitive Arctic environment, mostly characterized by the ongoing ice cover loss are having devastating impact on polar bear population, and could even lead to the extinction of species, even before the end of this century if world continues business as usual scenario. In most simple words, polar bears need sea ice, and since sea ice is rapidly declining, the bears are in very serious trouble.

The worst part in this whole story is that the world still hasn't come up with the adequate conservation and management plans to save polar bears from extinction, and climate change threat is becoming scarier with the each new day. Scientists from University of Alberta have described the seriousness of polar bear situation by saying that „just one very bad ice year could erase half of the world's polar bear population.“

The world definitely does not know what to do if the worst-case scenario occurs. The expected continuation of Arctic warming will not stop just because we want to, and will certainly not stop without the major global reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. What kind of polar bear management option would be the best? Difficult to say, particularly if world fails to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions in foreseeable future.

Some suggest protected parks where bears would be fed and released when freeze-ups allow them to get to their hunting grounds. This solution certainly looks good but would cost millions of dollars. However, from the environmental point of view no costs seem high enough to pay though this solution could also have negative impact on animals' long-term behavior.

At this moment, the most important thing is to think and act about this issue in advance, because the worst possible thing is to act once crisis already starts. Though as some would say crisis has already started.

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