World Ozone Day 2024

You are invited to a fascinating lecture on ozone depletion over the Northern Hemisphere and globally!

Is ozone depletion still a concern? Which are the synergies with climate change? Join to find out!

When: Monday, September 16, 2024 | 14:30-15:20
Where: 7th Level Auditorium (lecture), Observation at ACG premises

Organized by: ACG Center of Excellence in Sustainability

About the event

The ozone layer sits in the stratosphere, between about 15 km and 50 km above the Earth and shields the living beings of the planet from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. Ozone layer depletion, on the other hand, has serious effects on human health and the environment. It occurs in both Hemispheres but is more pronounced in the Southern over Antarctica due to the Ozone hole phenomenon.

The Montreal Protocol (1987) is rightly hailed as a multilateralism success story. It united the world to phase out ozone-depleting substances putting the ozone layer on the path to recovery and protecting all life on Earth. On September 16, World Ozone Day 2024, we celebrate this success, still our concerns remain as we lately notice ozone layer increased depletion over the Northern Hemisphere and globally.
Rightfully the questions that arise are: Is ozone depletion still a concern? Which are the synergies, if any, with climate change?

The distinguished ozone scientist, professor emeritus Constantinos Varotsos, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Senior Fellow of the Center of Excellence in Sustainability – ACG, will explain the phenomenon and provide us with all necessary answers.

The American College of Greece with the support of the World Meteorological Organization proudly host a Dobson spectrophotometer used for measuring total ozone. A demonstration of the Dobson spectrophotometer will take place, following the speech, in front of the STEM lab by Dr. Ioannis Christodoulakis, Assistant Professor, Department of Science and Mathematics, Deree – ACG and member of the ACG Center of Excellence in Sustainability.

About the speaker 

Professor Constantinos Varotsos is a Full Professor of Atmospheric Physics at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) and Dean of the School of Science. He has been a leading figure in Atmospheric and Environmental Physics since 1989. His expertise spans Remote Sensing, Climate Dynamics, and Environmental Change, supported by the establishment of four international research laboratories at NKUA. With over 300 research papers and 11 monographs to his name, Professor Varotsos has been recognized by numerous global institutions, including the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and the Royal Meteorological Society. His influential work on the Antarctic ozone hole and global atmospheric dynamics has earned him over 16,000 citations and prestigious awards, including the A.S. Popov medal and the RADI Award.