PARIS (Reuters) - The ozone layer over Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Scandinavia has dwindled to worrying levels nearly as low as those found in the Antarctic, the European Space Agency (ESA) said Thursday.
Measurements taken in the Netherlands showed local ozone levels were some two-thirds below the norm for this time of year, confirming the abnormally low levels detected over northwest Europe this week, ESA said in a statement.
The ozone layer, high up in the atmosphere, shields Earth from much of the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. A gradual thinning due to emissions of damaging man-made chemicals has increased the occurrence of skin cancer and other illnesses related to over-exposure to ultraviolet rays.
The damage to the ozone layer is worst over Antarctica where a hole about twice the size of China and more than two-and-a-half times the scope of Europe has developed. (The moving image at top shows the ozone layer over Antarctic.)
ESA said research suggested the seasonal lows could be explained by low temperatures in the lower stratosphere. A type of cloud containing catalysts which speed up ozone-destroying chemical reactions could also contribute.
Non-government organizations slammed the United Nations on Thursday for not moving faster in protecting the ozone layer after the U.N. said it would start to recover in the next few years.
Scientists hope a reduction in the use of ozone-eating substances -- such as chlorofluorocarbons used in refrigerators and the pesticide methyl bromide -- will allow the ozone layer to naturally replenish itself.
ESA said it planned to launch a new environmental satellite, Envisat, in 2001, with three powerful new instruments to monitor atmospheric ozone.
It is also preparing a series of three satellites with the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites for follow-up research to guarantee at least 10 years of continued ozone monitoring from space from 2003.
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