Paul J. Crutzen

Dr. Paul Jozef Crutzen, a Dutch atmospheric scientist, played a crucial role in the 1970s discovery that nitrous oxide emissions were accelerating ozone depletion. His work, which earned him the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry alongside Mario Molina and Frank Sherwood, contributed significantly to environmental protection efforts, including The Montreal Protocol—the most successful treaty to date for protecting the ozone layer. Initially studying civil engineering, Crutzen’s education was interrupted by WWII. He later shifted to atmospheric chemistry, focusing on the Earth’s ozone layer. In 1974, he modeled potential ozone depletion from chlorofluorocarbons, leading to advocacy for banning harmful substances. 

Crutzen also coined the term “Anthropocene” in 2002, highlighting the geological era defined by significant human impact on climate and environment. He holds positions at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany, Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the US, and Seoul National University in South Korea.