How did the size of the Antarctic ozone hole change between 2000 and 2021?

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ozone depletion — Ozone depletion The Antarctic ozone hole reaches its maximum extent in October of each year. On October 7, 2021, when this image was captured, the Antarctic ozone hole spanned 24.8 million square km (9.6 million square miles).

Between 2000 and 2021, the size of the Antarctic ozone hole experienced a reduction in its peak extent. In 2000, the hole reached its greatest recorded size, spanning 29.9 million square km (11.5 million square miles). By 2021, that area had decreased to 24.8 million square km (9.6 million square miles).1

This trend is part of a broader recovery of the ozone layer, driven by international efforts to phase out chlorofluorocarbons and other halocarbons under the Montreal Protocol. While the size of the hole can fluctuate annually due to variations in air temperatures, scientists generally expect that continued reductions in ozone-depleting chemicals will lead to smaller ozone holes and a full recovery of the Antarctic ozone layer by the 2060s.1