Gab Ibis

Apart from the melting ice caps and the rising sea levels, there remains the danger in the warm embrace of the sun’s rays – in the form of epidermal melanoma – or skin cancer.


In 2023, Ingrid Andersen, the United Nations Environment Programme’s director, confirmed that ozone layer repair was linked to the curb of over two million cases of skin cancer. 

Although this constitutes less than 1% of the world population, skin cancer may lead to other forms of cancer, which will otherwise be fatal.

Epidermal melanoma is the abnormal growth of skin cells in the body, due to increased exposure to sunlight. This, however, is from a form of light found in sunlight, which is ultraviolet light (UV).

Increased concern over the heightened use of fossil fuels places the Earth and its inhabitants in jeopardy, with the ozone layer taking the hardest hits.

In 2023, the United Nations’ 28th Conference on Parties (COP28) moved to ban use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), meeting the expectations of over 80,000 participants to ban the use of ozone-puncturing gases.

Although used as a refrigerant, CFCs puncture the ozone layer, while HFCs trap UV rays in the atmosphere, causing a higher-than-usual temperature. Among the effects of both chemicals are on health, like heat stroke, economy, and community – apparent in the wilted sows of rice stalks of farmers. 

Transitioning away from fossil fuels is ultimately also phasing out ozone-eating chemicals, said World Meteorological Organization secretary-general and professor Petteri Taalas.

In the same year, researchers observed signs of improvement in the ozone layer, such as the chlorine and bromine levels in the atmosphere – “a testament to the effectiveness of the Montreal protocol,” said scientific assessment co-chair Paul Newman.

Bromine and chlorine, both heavy, halogen gases, destroy the ozone layer, causing the destruction of the ozone layer over Antarctica. This damage, which will only heal in 2066 – 42 years from now – is the cause of greater UV-B release.

Ozone thickness in the said continent only peaks at 220 Dobson Units (DU) – a form of ozone measurement – far too low from the normal standard of 300 DU.

Addressing the elephant in the room and proving that the COP28’s decision is not merely lip-service will not only help the environment, but millions of lives at bay.

Through the eventual ban of CFCs and HFCs, more lives can be saved from the horrors of not only skin cancer, but the scorches of the sun. This shows the importance of taking care not only of the environment, but on taking concern on its effects.

While legislature may have moved to rectify the errors of humanity towards Mother Nature, it must be the greater interest that CFCs and HFCs be banned by intergovernmental adjudicators for health and public security.

In turn, health must be decided upon for humanity to fare better – for the people, and not simply as lip service.

As the embrace of the sun warmly holds humanity, the dangers must not be as heavy as skin cancer – but only a wary decision to move over in progress without destroying the environment.