Envis

The ozone layer in the upper atmosphere protects all living organisms against ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. With the depletion of the ozone layer, due to indiscriminate use of certain man-made chemicals, an increased level of UV radiations have been reaching the Earth. This has also seriously impacted biodiversity. Increased UV radiation reduces the levels of plankton in the oceans and subsequently diminishes fish stocks. It also has adverse effects on plant growth, thus reducing agricultural productivity.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, an important milestone in the protection of the ozone layer. The theme for the celebration of the anniversary and this year’s International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer to be marked on 16 September is, "30 years of healing the ozone together.” The theme is supported by the slogan, “Ozone: All there is between you and UV."

The ENVIS Centre on Forest Genetic Resources and Tree Improvement at the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore celebrated International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer by releasing a poster on facts related to the ozone layer for generating awareness on the importance of protecting this fragile layer. The Director, IFGTB, Shri R.S. Prashanth released the poster. On the occasion, the third issue of the newsletter (Van Vigyan) was also released.