Norway sees record ozone layer thickness in 2024: Report

ISTANBUL

Norway saw record ozone layer thickness in 2024, the Norwegian Environment Agency said in a report issued Friday.

"In 2024, the ozone layer over Norway was thicker than normal. And that is good news. At the same time, long-term monitoring shows that the thickness of the ozone layer varies from year to year, and monitoring of ozone levels and UV (ultraviolet) radiation is therefore important also in the future," said Anna von Streng Velken, director of the Climate Department at the agency.

The report noted that the ozone layer in the atmosphere over Norway was generally thicker than normal in 2024, and several records were set.

Particularly high ozone levels ​​were measured in the spring and summer.

In Andoya and Svalbard, ozone levels in March were observed to be 8% and 13% above the long-term average for 1979-2024.

Eastern Oslo saw its highest ozone levels on record in June and July since monitoring began in 1979.

"In 2024, relatively weak UV radiation was measured overall at the Norwegian measuring stations. This is partly related to the high ozone values ​​measured in the same year. A thick ozone layer means that people, animals and plants are exposed to less harmful amounts of UV radiation," Velken also noted.