Beneath the Hole in the Sky: What Antarctica’s Ozone Discovery and Global Response Teaches us about Working Together for the Planet

“It’s the sound of silence”, said Dr John Dudeney OBE, a former British Antarctic Survey Deputy Director, atmospheric scientist and polar historian.

I have been very fortunate to work with John over the years, and to me, that short phrase and lyric also remains one of the best ways to describe Antarctica.

Yet, above this isolated desert wilderness, one of humanity’s most sobering environmental threats was discovered, and one that would lead to a collective triumph for humanity.

The story of the ozone hole is both a scientific milestone and a global turning point. It’s a tale of discovery born from the pursuit of knowledge in one of the most remote places on Earth, and of what can happen when nations, scientists, and citizens unite for a common cause.

For modern travellers, especially those venturing into the polar regions, it’s also a reminder of what collective environmental ambassadorship can mean.

When I was twelve years old, I no longer wanted to be a marine biologist, it was journalism that was now firmly in my career sights. At the time, the ozone layer was a headline news story, and it was my first understanding of a potential environmental catastrophe. Decades before social media newsfeeds, it took something pretty big to cut through to school kids, and this was science on a big scale, not the Bunsen burner experiments, and both scary and fascinating for a child.

In this global news story, the standard aerosol can took on the same danger warnings as the ‘stranger in the playground’. I penned my first serious article for the school newsletter, which I headlined ‘Ozone or No-zone’, a clever title I thought. Only for some thirteen year old sub-editor to change it to ‘Ozone of No Ozone’ for print, something I have never really got over, as you have just read.  

But long before my article, and even before satellites and supercomputers, scientists understood that a delicate layer of gas in the upper atmosphere (the suddenly famous ozone layer) plays a vital role in shielding life on Earth. Ozone molecules, made up of three oxygen atoms, absorb most of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which can cause skin cancer, cataracts, and harm ecosystems.

For much of the 20th century, this invisible shield was assumed to be stable and self-regulating. But in the 1970s, researchers began to suspect that certain man-made chemicals, particularly chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), used in refrigerators, air conditioners, and aerosol sprays, might be destroying ozone molecules when they drifted into the upper atmosphere.

The theory was worrying, but unproven. Until, that is, a small group of scientists working in Antarctica began to notice something strange.

In the early 1980s, British Antarctic Survey scientists Joe Farman, Brian Gardiner, and Jonathan Shanklin had been recording atmospheric data over the icy continent for decades. When they analysed readings from their spectrophotometers, they found that every spring, the ozone concentration above Halley Bay Station was dropping dramatically, far beyond what models could explain.

In 1985, they published their findings in Nature, revealing a shocking truth: a massive “hole” was forming in the ozone layer above Antarctica each year.

NASA’s satellite data soon confirmed their observations. The world had a big hole in its protective atmosphere, caused by the accumulation of human-made CFCs. The implications were enormous. Increased UV radiation could pose a threat to human health, reduce crop yields, and disrupt marine life at the base of the food chain.

The discovery was a stark reminder that even in the most innocuous and mundane activities, such as spraying deodorant or opening a fridge, human activity had left its mark, visible in the most isolated corners of the planet. 

As John Dudeney asserts in his fascinating autobiography, Footsteps in the Snow, “it is arguable that all the money ever spent on Antarctic work would be fully justified if that were the only result that ever came from it.”

What happened next marked a turning point in environmental history. Scientists sounded the alarm, and in a rare act of near-universal cooperation, governments listened.

In 1987, just two years after the ozone hole was discovered, representatives from 46 nations met in Montreal to sign the 'Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer'. The agreement set binding targets to phase out the production and use of CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances.

Over the following decades, every member state of the United Nations would ratify the treaty, making it the first and only environmental agreement in history to achieve full global participation. Wealthier nations provided funding and technology to help developing countries transition to safer alternatives. Scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders collaborated to create innovative new refrigerants and products.

The results have been extraordinary. Global CFC levels have declined dramatically, and recent satellite observations indicate that the ozone layer is recovering. If progress continues, it could return to its natural levels by mid-century.

Today, travellers visiting Antarctica, whether as scientists, polar explorers, or guests aboard an expedition ship, often find themselves reflecting on the profound symbolism of the place. It was here, at the bottom of the world, that we first witnessed the profound impact of human activity on the planet. Yet it was also here that the seeds of global cooperation were planted and proved successful.

The ozone story shows that science can inspire unity. When data is shared, nations collaborate instead of competing, ignoring or profiteering, and individuals take responsibility for collective problems, real change occurs.

For those who journey to the poles, these lessons take on a deeper resonance. Expedition cruising is, by nature, an act of collaboration. From navigators and naturalists to guests and guides, every voyage is a carefully choreographed effort that depends on teamwork, respect for the environment, and a shared sense of purpose. Professional scientists work alongside citizen scientists, sharing data, dining tables, and even research findings. 

The same spirit that made the Montreal Protocol possible, curiosity, cooperation, and commitment, is alive in every successful expedition.

Today’s expedition travellers are no longer just observers; they’re ambassadors for the planet. Visiting sensitive regions like Antarctica comes with a responsibility to tread lightly, to learn deeply, and to share those lessons with others.

When you look up at the pale blue sky above the Antarctic Peninsula or the Ross Sea, you’re gazing at a layer of the atmosphere that once symbolised crisis, and now represents hope. It reminds us that environmental damage isn’t inevitable, and that solutions don’t have to come from fear, but from collective resolve. 

The success of the Montreal Protocol also offers a valuable template for addressing today’s challenges, such as climate change and plastic pollution. It proves that when the world acts together, guided by science and shared values, progress is possible.

The ozone layer’s recovery is happening slowly, quietly, and far above our daily view, but its story continues to shape our understanding of the planet. It’s a reminder that global problems require global solutions. That leadership can come from anywhere: a team of scientists in the Antarctic, a group of policymakers in Montreal, or a single traveller standing on a ship’s bow, choosing to see the world differently and advocate their experience and learnings to others. 

A voyage in Antarctica and the waters of the Southern Ocean symbolises more than a journey through ice and history. It’s a voyage through one of the greatest environmental success stories ever told, one that began right there, beneath a hole in the sky, and one that continues every time humanity chooses cooperation over complacency, and stands as a global reminder that we can work together to save our house, where we all live, and that needs all of our help.