How the World Came Together to Heal the Ozone Layer – And What It Teaches Us Today

weissangie121
Sep 22
4 min read

Colorful map showing the ozone hole over Antarctica with text: "The ozone hole over Antarctica is 7th smallest, thanks to the Montreal Protocol." — Image courtesy of Getty Images

Not so long ago, the world faced what seemed like an impossible environmental crisis. In the 1980s, scientists discovered that the ozone layer—a thin shield of gas high in our atmosphere that protects life on Earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays—was disappearing. The headlines were alarming: “A Giant 'Hole' in the Ozone Layer Had Opened Over Antarctica”, raising the risk of skin cancer, cataracts, and damage to ecosystems.

The ozone layer was on everyone’s mind. Whenever you opened a newspaper, turned on your TV or listened to the radio, you would have seen and heard disturbing headlines about the perils of disappearing ozone. Recently, however, the ozone layer has ceased to be a topic of discussion. No one is talking about it.

So, what happened?

It appears that after the world came together and took action to stop using the major chemical identified as the culprit causing ozone depletion, the ozone layer restored itself. The gaping hole has closed, and the thickness of the ozone layer today is almost the same as it was before the 1980s.

This extraordinary thing happened because humanity decided to act together and remove the catalyst that was damaging the ozone layer.

A Rare Success Story of the Montreal Protocol Healing the Ozone Layer

When scientists showed that everyday chemicals—especially chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) used in spray cans, fridges, and air conditioners—were tearing apart the ozone layer, governments didn’t waste decades debating. In 1987, they signed the Montreal Protocol, a binding international agreement to phase out the use of these dangerous substances.

It remains the only United Nations treaty with universal support, as all 198 countries in the world have signed on. Industry followed suit, inventing safer alternatives to CFCs. Consumers adjusted. That was the time we were introduced to the “roll-on” deodorants. It also turned out that chlorofluorocarbons could be replaced by hydrocarbons, such as propane and isobutane, which could be used to cool domestic refrigerators and freezers. They possess excellent cooling properties and are highly energy-efficient. Some of the CFC alternatives still contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, so research continues into even safer alternatives.

But the results of the Montreal Protocol are astonishing:

Ninety-nine per cent of ozone-depleting chemicals have been phased out of production.
The ozone layer is healing and expected to return to pre-1980 levels by the middle of this century.
Millions of cases of skin cancer and cataracts have been prevented.
By avoiding the continued use of CFCs, the world also sidestepped up to 2.5°C of additional global warming by 2100, since CFCs are also powerful greenhouse pollutants.

In short, the Montreal Protocol worked.

Why Did It Work?

Looking back, several key ingredients made this global effort succeed:

Clear science – The message was simple: “CFCs destroy ozone. No ozone means everyone gets cancer.”
Visible proof – Satellite images of the ozone hole were undeniable and easy for the public to grasp.
Personal stakes – The health link to skin cancer and blindness made the problem real to everyone.
Global fairness – Wealthy nations supported developing countries through a Multilateral Fund.
Industry cooperation – Once regulations were in place, companies innovated instead of resisting. It was also a relatively easy gas to substitute.

The lesson? When science is clear, the threat is visible, and solutions are offered fairly, nations can put aside differences and act together.

What It Means for Today

Although the ozone crisis is no longer a topic of discussion, it is not entirely resolved—some of the banned chemicals persist in the atmosphere for decades, and large ozone holes still appear from time to time. But the trend is positive, and the lesson is invaluable.

Today, we face a far bigger challenge of climate change. Unlike the CFCs, which were easily substituted, greenhouse gases that cause climate change are tied into nearly every aspect of our lives: energy, food, transportation, and industry. The problem is harder, more complex, more political, and more systemic. But surely it is not impossible?

The ozone story proves something vital: global cooperation can work. When we act together, when governments set strong policies, when industries innovate, and when ordinary people care enough to demand change, we can literally change the atmosphere.

A Call to Unite Again

If the world could come together to save the ozone layer, it could also unite to restore our forests, protect our oceans, and stop the runaway climate change. The task ahead is bigger, but now we have precedents.

What we need now is courage, solidarity, and the will to act—because the natural world of Planet Earth is our common home, and its restoration depends on us.

The Montreal Protocol should give us hope—we’ve done it before. Now, we must do it again.

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