GENEVA, September 16. /TASS/. The size of the ozone hole over Antarctica in 2025 was close to the lowest levels recorded in more than two decades giving hope that the ozone layer may fully recover within several decades, according to the World Meteorological Organization, which is part of the UN.

"The depth and overall extent of the 2025 Antarctic ozone hole were significantly smaller than the 1990-2010 average. The 2025 ozone depletion cycle was one of the least severe in over two decades, with the 2025 ozone hole ranking as the fourth to fifth weakest since severe depletion patterns were observed in 1992 (Newman et al., 2026). The maximum ozone mass deficit (OMD) was 36.7 million tons on 29 September, more than 25% less than the 1990-2010 mean of 50.1 million tons," the organization’s annual profile report said.

The maximum size of the ozone hole last year was observed at the end of September. At that time, its total size was only a quarter of the average for the period from 1990 to 2010. The WMO noted that this trend was observed for two consecutive years -- in 2024 and 2025. The organization notes that this is in stark contrast to the exceptionally large sizes of the ozone holes observed between 2020 and 2023. According to the report, the dynamics of the past two years indicate that the large sizes of the ozone holes in 2020-2023 are most likely due to natural fluctuations, while the long·term trend of their reduction persists.

""This is an environmental success story. Since 2000, the ozone layer has been recovering, and we can expect full recovery within several decades," said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.