How Arctic ozone hole was avoided by Montreal Protocol

The Antarctic ozone hole would have been 40% bigger by now if ozone-depleting chemicals had not been banned in the 1980s, according to research.

Arctic ozone without the Montreal Protocol (left) and following its implementation (right)

Models also show that at certain times, a large hole would have opened up at the other end of the globe.

The Arctic hole would have been large enough to affect northern Europe, including the UK, scientists say.

The Montreal Protocol is regarded as one of the most important global treaties in history.

It was signed in 1987 after the discovery of a hole in the ozone layer above the Antarctic, the part of the upper atmosphere where ozone is found in high concentrations.

Ozone absorbs ultraviolet radiation, preventing most of it from reaching the ground.

Concerted international action led to the signing in Montreal of a UN agreement which phased out ozone-depleting chemicals, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) - once widely used in fridges and spray cans.

The new research, led by scientists at the University of Leeds, simulated what the ozone hole would have been like today if nothing had been done.

The largest hole in the ozone layer appears over Antarctica

Lead researcher, Martyn Chipperfield, said: ''We would be living in an era of having regular Arctic ozone holes.

''The Antarctic ozone hole which was discovered before 1987 would have got bigger and we would also have a fairly significant ozone depletion over mid-latitudes where there are high populations, including parts of Europe.''

Foresight

The study found that the Antarctic ozone hole would have grown in size by 40% by 2013, and the ozone layer would be thinner over middle latitudes of the northern hemisphere.

There would also have been a hole over the Arctic at times, which would have rivalled that of the Antarctic and would have affected northern Europe, including the UK.

The ozone loss would have led to increases in UV levels of about 10% in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, leading to more skin cancers, the study concludes.

Jonathan Shanklin of the British Antarctic Survey is one of three Cambridge scientists who discovered the ozone hole 30 years ago this month.

He said the Montreal Protocol was the UN's most successful treaty to date and observations from the British Antarctic base were showing signs of a ''recovery'' in ozone levels.

''The protocol provides a lesson for the future and we must hope that the coming climate change talks show the same foresight and result in a treaty that will benefit the whole planet,'' said Dr Shanklin.

Since the Montreal Protocol came into force, levels of chlorine and bromine containing ozone depleting chemicals have peaked and then declined.

The new research is published in the journal Nature Communications.

From BBC Science/Environment

Rare Maui's dolphin 'critically endangered'

The smallest and rarest marine dolphin in the world could be extinct within 15 years if protection is not stepped up, experts have warned.

Maui's dolphins are less than 1.5m long and only found off the west coast of New Zealand

Conservation organisation Nabu say there are fewer than 50 Maui's dolphins left on the planet now.

The organisation said fishing should be banned in the waters off New Zealand, where the species live.

Dolphins are often caught in fishing nets which can harm and even kill them.

Change

"New Zealand has to abandon its current stance, which places the interests of the fishing industry above conservation," said Dr Barbara Maas from Nabu.

A spokesperson for the New Zealand minister for conservation said no comment would be made until after the scientific committee reported its findings and recommendations in June.

The number of dolphins has declined since the 1970s.

Scientists say the main threat is fishing using trawling nets. It's thought the nets kill five Maui's dolphins each year.

From CBBC Newsround

Koalas in Australia's Victoria region could be culled

The state government of Victoria may soon cull a colony of koalas living in a popular Australian tourist destination.

It doesn't seem fair! They're so cute! Isn´t there another solution?
Maybe they could plant more trees or transfer some Koalas to another area where they may be lacking...

The Victorian government says Cape Otway koalas face starvation because of "overpopulation"

The Victorian government euthanised about 700 koalas at Cape Otway in the state's south, in 2013 and 2014.

It said they were starving because of a population boom that could not be sustained by local woodland.

But critics angry with the latest move say the problem is too few trees, not too many koalas.

Despite some bush regrowth, the koala density at the cape remained high and sick koalas might be euthanised, the state government said on Monday.

Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning said it would carry out a "koala health assessment" of the "overabundant koala population" in the Manna Gum woodland.

The assessment will be conducted by vets and animal health officers, said department spokesperson Mandy Watson.

Koalas will only eat the leaves of a few types of eucalyptus trees

"We are focusing our attention on private land in Cape Otway where koalas are most affected by over-browsing," she said.

"Any unhealthy koalas, which are deemed too sick to survive release, will be humanely euthanized to prevent further suffering," she said.

Development pressure

Koalas live in tall open eucalypt (gum tree) forests and will only eat a few of the hundreds of species of eucalypts that grow in Australia.

Australian Koala Foundation chief executive officer Deborah Tabart said the koala habitat should be protected so a cull is not necessary.

"I know they are not looking at planting trees, they are not looking at the long term," Ms Tabart told ABC TV.

"I never see this as an overpopulation of koalas; I see it as a under-population of trees."

In 2012, the koala was listed as "vulnerable" under Australia's Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

However, there is no specific law that protects koala habitat, which is under pressure from housing and commercial development.

From BBc Sci/Environment

IS threat to Syria's northern bald ibis near Palmyra

A rare bird may become extinct in Syria because of the capture of Palmyra by Islamic State, experts say.

A small breeding colony of the northern bald ibis was found near Palmyra in 2002

A tiny breeding colony of the northern bald ibis was found near the city in 2002.

Three birds held in captivity were abandoned last week after their guards fled the fighting. Their fate is unknown.

Officials have offered a reward of $1,000 (£646) for information about the whereabouts of a fourth bird.

'Extinction'

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon told the BBC that finding the missing female, called Zenobia, is crucial.

She is the only bird who knows the migration routes to wintering grounds in Ethiopia and without her other captive birds cannot be released.

Then the species could go extinct in the wild in Syria, said ornithologists.

"Culture and nature they go hand in hand, and war stops, but nobody can bring back a species from extinction," said head of the society Asaad Serhal.

Palmyra was built when the area was under Roman rule

The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says that the species was thought to have been extinct in the region until seven birds were found nesting near Palmyra more than 10 years ago.

But despite being protected, their numbers dwindled to just four wild birds. Our correspondent says that this year only Zenobia made it back to the site.

Another three captive birds were being kept nearby but it is not clear if they are still safe.

The fall of Palmyra came just days after IS captured the major Iraqi city of Ramadi.

The capture of the World Heritage site next to the modern city of Palmyra has raised international alarm.

IS militants have destroyed several sites in Iraq - most recently the ancient city of Nimrud, one of Iraq's greatest archaeological treasures.

From BBC News - Middle East