International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
A/RES/49/114
A/RES/49/114
This authority record treats the observance as a fixed annual date. The same month and day can be reused unless a stronger source changes the rule. Public-holiday or government status is never inferred from the observance name alone.
Overview
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is observed on 16 September. The day commemorates the 1987 signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and highlights international cooperation to protect stratospheric ozone.
The ozone layer is a region of the stratosphere containing relatively high concentrations of ozone that absorb much of the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. Its protection is a distinct environmental issue from harmful ground-level ozone pollution.
Why it matters
Ozone protection is a prominent example of science, international agreements, regulation, financing and technology working together over time. The Montreal Protocol controls production and consumption of specified ozone-depleting substances through agreed schedules and mechanisms.
The issue is sometimes confused with climate change. They are different problems, although some chemicals and policies—including the Kigali Amendment’s phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons—connect ozone governance with climate benefits.
History
The Montreal Protocol was signed on 16 September 1987.
In 1994, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 16 September the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer through resolution 49/114.
How the observance developed
This timeline is assembled only from verified provenance fields. Missing stages are omitted rather than inferred.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution 49/114
First documented observance
General Assembly resolution 49/114 explicitly states that the observance was to begin in 1995.
What the evidence establishes
Verified institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Fields that the reviewed sources do not establish remain fail-closed and are available below without competing with the confirmed record.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Ways to observe
Learn the difference between the protective ozone layer in the stratosphere and ground-level ozone, which is an air pollutant.
Use UN or national environmental-agency resources to understand how ozone-depleting substances are controlled where you live.
When replacing refrigeration or cooling equipment, use qualified providers and applicable rules for handling refrigerants rather than releasing them.
Explore how international environmental treaties are monitored and adjusted as scientific evidence and technology change.
Avoid presenting a single recovery date or climate benefit as permanent; scientific assessments and projections should be refreshed from current authoritative sources.
Useful facts
The observance is held on 16 September.
The date commemorates the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987.
The UN General Assembly proclaimed the international day in 1994 through resolution 49/114.
The stratospheric ozone layer protects life from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Ground-level ozone is an air pollutant and should not be confused with the protective stratospheric ozone layer.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Repeated links from the authority record, institutional provenance and editorial guide research are consolidated here. Badges show how each source is used; a contextual source is never treated as proof of establishment on its own.
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/49/114 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — List of International Days and Weeks (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — Observances: who chooses them and how (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then use reviewed distinctions and related authority records to understand where this observance fits.
Frequently asked questions
When is International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer?
16 September The stored recurrence guidance is: 16 September.
Does International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer fall on the same date every year?
The authority record classifies it as fixed annual, so its month and day are reusable unless stronger evidence changes the rule.
Is International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer an official public holiday?
The authority record verifies it within this scope: United Nations / international observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when the supporting authority record explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer?
The reviewed provenance layer identifies United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body.
Is International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer international or country-specific?
The record has international or global institutional scope: United Nations / international observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual layer is source-backed and keeps its date rule, scope, provenance and editorial guardrails attached to the authority record. This record was checked on 2026-09-05.
When is the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer?
It is observed every year on 16 September.
Why is it held on 16 September?
The date commemorates the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer on 16 September 1987.
Is the ozone layer the same thing as ozone air pollution?
No. The protective ozone layer is in the stratosphere. Ground-level ozone is a harmful air pollutant formed near the Earth’s surface.
Other observances on September 16
These records also resolve to September 16, 2026 under the current authority data.
Independence Day
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade current National Days protocol register lists Papua New Guinea — Independence Day on 16 September. The source verifies the diplomatic nat…
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National Cinnamon Raisin Bread Day
National Day Calendar and National Today independently place National Cinnamon Raisin Bread Day on September 16 each year.