Rare Earth14 Maalis 2025

The Hole That Changed the World

40 years ago a hole was discovered in the ozone layer. It provoked an international effort to ban the chemicals that were destroying our protection from the sun. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski are joined by Jonathan Shanklin, one of the team that realised that CFC chemicals used in aerosol cans and refrigerants were helping to create a 20 million square kilometre hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica. Also on the panel they speak to Alice Bell, author of ‘Our Biggest Experiment: a history of the climate crisis’ and head of policy, climate and health at Wellcome, and Bristol University's Professor Matt Rigby who helps monitor how well countries are sticking to their promises on protecting the ozone layer.

They discuss the unparalleled international unity that swiftly banned the worst of the ozone-destroying chemicals, and ask why we can't come up with a similar solution for manmade climate change. Tom will be meeting the detectives dedicated to hunting down the chemicals that still threaten the ozone layer and come with an enormous cost to the climate.

Featuring contributions from:

Jonathan Shanklin - Emeritus Fellow, British Antarctic Survey

Matthew Rigby - Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry, University of Bristol

Alice Bell - Head of Policy: Climate and Health, Wellcome

Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Assistant Producer: Toby Field

Rare Earth is produced in collaboration with the Open University

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