ozone hole | Worldwide collaboration is possible

A 3D rendered image of the extent of the ozone hole, showing the extent of ozone concentration (black) over Antarctica (white) in 2019. Today it is smaller than it has been in around 30 years. Photo: dpa/ESA Have you ever heard of the Montreal Protocol? Many people are familiar with the Paris Climate Agreement or the Kyoto Protocol, especially because some of them were decided decades ago to protect the global climate, but their implementation has still not been achieved today. The states are too divided, there is not enough pressure from the population to stick with it, there is not enough courage to move forward. And of course a lot of disinformation to discredit the much-needed concerns of environmental protection. But that wasn't always the case.

Photo: nd In 1987, 24 countries and communities in Montreal, Canada, committed to producing and consuming fewer ozone-depleting substances. At the time, it was not completely clear which substances affect the ozone layer and to what extent. So there were formulations like this: They wanted to “take appropriate measures to protect human health and the environment from harmful effects that are, are likely to be, or are likely to be, caused by human activities that alter the ozone layer.” Nevertheless, scientists' warnings about harmful substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were enough for politicians to take action and impose bans.

Another hurdle that is also known today from negotiations on climate agreements: the costs. So in 1990 it was decided in London to set up a multilateral fund to support developing countries. Just a year later, China was also there. It's hard to believe that the USA was one of the first signatories. The Montreal Protocol later became the first internationally binding treaty in the history of the United Nations to be ratified by all member states.

In 2025, the ozone hole over Antarctica was smaller than it has been since the early 1990s. According to the World Weather Organization (WMO), both extent and depth were well below the average for the years 1990 to 2010. The WMO speaks of a success story in environmental protection. The ozone layer has been recovering since 2000; it could completely regenerate within a few decades.

There is rarely enough good news. This is a. And even more. It's an inspiring one. We just have to want to, trust the vast majority of climate scientists, and finally start doing the right thing. No matter what it costs. If even people in the 80s found new ways to keep their refrigerators cold and style their hair, we must be able to change our minds too.

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