How We Saved the Ozone Layer

The ozone layer is crucial in shielding our fragile planet from harmful UV rays.  Photo by Jorg Hamel.

In 1974, chemists Sherwood Rowland and Mario Molina made a terrifying discovery: chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) from aerosol sprays, air conditioning, and refrigeration were rising into the stratosphere, where solar radiation was breaking them down and causing the depletion of the ozone layer. The ozone layer, crucial for shielding our fragile planet from harmful ultraviolet rays, was under threat. The implications were dire; with a depleted ozone layer there would be widespread health crises such as increased skin cancer rates, cataracts, and immune disorders.

The discovery caused a significant public outcry. Consumers rapidly shifted away from aerosols to pump sprays and roll-ons, while some companies responded to decreased sales by redesigning their products. Most of the chemical industry, however, responded in the same way that we see gas and oil companies responding to our current environmental crises: they denied the scientific findings, attacked researchers, and forecast economic calamity.

Despite the challenges, scientists and advocates continued to push to save our planet. With support from legal experts, Rowland and Molina presented their findings to Congress and the media, advocating for strict regulations on CFCs. The work to save our ozone was initially stalled by the Reagan administration, but the discovery of an actual hole in the ozone layer and grassroots efforts to keep the danger in the public eye eventually culminated in the Montreal Protocol, an international agreement reached in September 1987. Originally focused on curbing CFCs in aerosols, the Montreal Protocol quickly evolved into a comprehensive global initiative to phase out ozone-depleting substances.

By 1990, the Montreal Protocol had gained global support, laying out timelines for the reduction and eventual elimination of CFCs and related compounds. The United States fortified its environmental regulations through amendments to the Clean Air Act, setting a precedent for proactive legislative measures.

Today, the Montreal Protocol stands as a model of successful international cooperation. Ratified by all 197 United Nations member states, it remains the only UN treaty to achieve universal adoption. Celebrated annually on September 16 as World Ozone Day, it serves as a reminder of the collective effort required to safeguard our planet and the power of grassroots change.

A recent study published in Nature Climate Change has shown us how very successful the Montreal Protocol has been. An international research team showed that atmospheric concentrations of harmful gases, particularly chlorine from hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), peaked in 2021 – a full five years earlier than anticipated. This accelerated decline shows not only the impact of our efforts but also the resilience of the ozone layer in responding to reduced ozone-depleting substances. Our planet can be resilient when we give it a chance to recover.

Despite an initially unsupportive administration and resistance from corporations in power, unwavering grassroots efforts have succeeded in saving our ozone layer and prevented millions of people from suffering the consequences. The success of the Montreal Protocol offers a blueprint for addressing other global environmental challenges, demonstrating the potential for international collaboration in combating climate change and protecting biodiversity.  This is a climate success story that we can all celebrate. 

What you can do:

Sustainable Woodstock is currently working on another grassroots effort to help heal our planet – this fall we will be collaborating with WindowDressers, a nonprofit organization, to make custom-built, interior storm window inserts for residents of: Woodstock, Pomfret, Barnard, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Hartland, Windsor, and Reading.  We are currently taking applications for window inserts.  We will be building these inserts during a week-long community build that includes World Ozone Day (Sept 16th).  If you’d like to celebrate World Ozone Day by helping our planet continue to heal, volunteer to help us build inserts at https://signup.com/go/LkxELuj.  To apply for inserts, contact Heather Knoll, Sustainable Woodstock Program Coordinator at programs@sustainablewoodstock.org or 802-296-1595.

Questions?

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