V. "Ram" Ramanathan is a notable Indian climate scientist who has made significant contributions to the understanding of climate change and its impacts on the environment, including discovering the greenhouse effect of CFCs, Earth radiation budget measurements and statistical predictions on global warming.
He has been described as "The Pope's climate scientist" because of his close affiliation with Pope Francis, having been influential in the creation of Laudato si', the Pope's encyclical on climate change and having been science advisor to Pope Francis’ holy see delegation to the historic 2015 Paris climate summit.
Identifying the role of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in depleting the ozone layer.
Ramanathan conducted research that showed how CFCs, which were widely used in refrigeration and aerosol sprays, were breaking down the ozone layer in the Earth's atmosphere.
Discovering the warming effect of black carbon. Ramanathan and his team discovered that black carbon, a byproduct of burning fossil fuels and biomass, had a warming effect on the atmosphere, second only to carbon dioxide.
Awarded the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement.
Researching the impact of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs). Ramanathan led a study that found that reducing SLCPs, such as black carbon, methane, and hydrofluorocarbons, could have a significant impact on mitigating global warming and improving air quality.
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