Climate

The Ozone Layer Is Healing — On Track To Fully Recover By 2040–2066

The clearest proof we have that the world can fix a global environmental problem when everyone pitches in.

By the NoBadNews desk · Published 2026-07-06 · Updated 2026-07-08

Is the ozone layer recovering?

Yes — under the Montreal Protocol the ozone layer is on track to recover to 1980 levels by about 2040 for most of the world, 2045 over the Arctic, and 2066 over Antarctica, per the WMO/UNEP 2022 Scientific Assessment.

The 2025 Antarctic ozone hole was the fifth smallest since 1992, about 30% smaller than the 2006 record, and closed on 1 December — the earliest since 2019. Phasing out the ozone-eating chemicals also spared the planet roughly 0.5°C of extra warming.

Source: WMO / UNEP · Image: AI illustration of real verified news (our method).

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