Record cold temperatures this winter could create a bigger hole in the ozone layer over parts of northern Europe, leading to damaging ultraviolet rays that can cause skin cancer, the European Commission said on February 22. Scientists had confirmed record low temperatures in the Arctic high atmosphere and determined that the ozone layer, which is made up of oxygen and protects the earth from UV radiation, faced a greater risk because of the cold, it said.
"First signs of ozone loss have already been detected," the EU executive said in a statement. "Should further cooling of the Arctic stratosphere occur, increasing ozone losses can be expected for the next couple of decades."
It said a hole in the ozone could affect the Polar regions, Scandinavia and possibly as far down as central Europe.
The ozone over the Arctic has decreased since 1980, the Commission said, and its depletion has adverse effects on human health and biodiversity.
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