What are the effects of ozone depletion on flora and fauna?
AK: People, animals and plant life would be destroyed if we fail to protect the ozone layer. Even underwater life would not be safe since UV rays can penetrate clear water to a certain depth. VN: The Montreal Protocol has been highly effective in protecting the ozone layer so far. Because of it, around two million cases of cataract have been prevented. A research carried out for a United Nations Environmental Programme has showed that ozone levels have stayed the same from 2002 to 2005, thanks to such initiatives. One of the greatest challenges with ozone is that we need the right amount for life to exist. Too little and life on earth could be wiped out — too much and we won’t receive the amount of sunlight that we need. RB: When you say that minor procedural changes can help protect the ozone layer, what has been the response of the industries? MP: It is not that there is no alternative. A minor change in the molecular structure of HCFCs can achieve the desired effect. VN: Though the
