Current Affairs - Environment - Discussion

7th is the rank achieved by the Antarctic ozone hole in 2026 based on its seasonal average area over 48 years of monitoring. NASA and NOAA reported this finding on November 4, 2026. The ozone hole recorded an average area of approximately 25 million square kilometres between September 7 and October 13, 2026, while its maximum extent reached around 27.1 million square kilometres on September 18. Scientists attributed its large size partly to an unusually powerful polar vortex. Despite this development, long-term ozone layer recovery remains on track, supported by international efforts under the 1987 Montreal Protocol.