Is the ozone layer recovering?
As of 2021, ozone-depleting substances is −99%: layer recovery by ~2066.
Why it changed
Nearly all ozone-depleting substances were phased out under the Montreal Protocol, a rare case of countries jointly banning a harmful chemical; less ultraviolet means less skin cancer and less harm to crops. The current reading (−99%) is a snapshot, not a finish line: progress like this can slow or reverse if funding, policy, or conflict disrupts it.
Source · Our World in Data CC-BY 4.0 (Our World in Data) Last reviewed 2026-07-06
See one like this every morning.
Progress Tab replaces your new tab with one sourced number about the world. You guess first, then see the real number.
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What is the source for this number?
Our World in Data. Last reviewed 2026-07-06 — CC-BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
How has this changed since 1987?
layer recovery by ~2066. As of 2021, ozone-depleting substances stands at −99%.
What still isn’t solved?
That number is only as good as the systems behind it — holding −99% beyond 2021 means keeping the same funding and policy in place.