Increasing public concern over declining ozone levels and the resultant ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaching the earth has brought about a need to communicate daily information on UV radiation level to the public in a credible and understandable manner. The purpose of this standard is to provide such a standardized scale.

This standard establishes a quantitative index for reporting the level of harmful ambient solar ultraviolet radiation reaching the surface of the earth to the general public. The Global Solar UV Index quantifies the exposure of the skin to ultraviolet radiation. It is the best estimate of the UV level given a realistic atmosphere: clouds, pollutants, etc. are included in any prediction.