F. Sherwood Rowland was an American chemist who discovered that man-made chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellants accelerate were speeding up the destruction of the ozonosphere, which protects the Earth from ultraviolet radiation. Their findings eventually brought about international changes in the chemical industry.
Rowland and his colleague Mario Molina published a study that showed how certain man-made chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were destroying the ozone layer in the Earth's stratosphere. This discovery led to widespread awareness of the issue and ultimately to the adoption of the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty that phased out the production and use of CFCs.
Awarded the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement
Rowland published a paper on the impact of human activities on climate change, in which he argued that global warming caused by the emission of greenhouse gases was the "most serious environmental problem facing civilization."
Overall, Rowland's contributions to atmospheric chemistry and environmental science have been highly influential and have had a significant impact on global environmental policy and public awareness of environmental issues.
His work on the impact of CFCs on the ozone layer is particularly noteworthy, as it led to important international agreements that have helped protect the Earth's atmosphere.
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