A very strong polar vortex and cold temperatures over the pole are driving the early and large growth of the ozone hole.
But rest assured, the Montreal Protocol – a landmark global treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out ozone-depleting substances – is still working.
The levels of ozone-depleting substances in the stratosphere have dropped by about a third since their peak around the year 2000.
Despite its larger area, the 2026 ozone hole hasn’t reached the depths of other large ozone holes from the past, meaning there is less “missing” ozone overall.