Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2026

The 2026 WMO/UNEP Ozone Assessment contains the most up-to-date understanding of ozone depletion, reflecting the thinking of hundreds of international scientific experts who contribute to its preparation and review. This assessment includes updates on trends in ozone-depleting substances (ODSs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), global and polar ozone and the link between stratospheric ozone changes and climate, and the impacts of stratospheric aerosol injection on the stratosphere and ozone. Co-Chairs of the Scientific Assessment Panel (SAP) of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and Assessment Co-Chairs are Dr. Lucy Carpenter (University of York, UK), Dr. David W. Fahey (NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory, USA), Dr. Kenneth W. Jucks (NASA Earth Science Division, USA), and Dr. Bonfils Safari (University of Rwanda, Rwanda). International colleagues in atmospheric sciences and other members of the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratories (ESRL) are making substantial contributions to the report, serving as coauthors, contributors, reviewers, and editorial and support staff.

The Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2026 contains the core assessment report, which will be released at the end of 2026, the Executive Summary of the assessment report (expected release late 2026), and an update to Twenty Questions and Answers About the Ozone Layer (expected release early 2027).