Professor Mario Molina, Nobel Prize-winner in Chemistry for research into the effect of CFC gases on the ozone layer, has expressed his hope and fears in relation to the possibility of the global community finding a solution to the problem of climate change.
Professor Molina said,
“The ozone layer has started to heal. While it will take twenty years to see the full effects of the Montreal Protocol and the banning of CFC gases, the issue of the erosion of the ozone layer has essentially been solved. There is great hope in knowing that other difficult problems such as climate change can potentially be resolved through collective action by the global community. Yet, the abolition of CFCs is the only example of where a global problem has been solved. The climate is still changing and that is a very big worry for our planet.”
He urged collective action to gift a healthy environment to coming generations,
“Individually, we can use energy much more efficiently and recycle, however, we cannot individually affect what is a global problem. I urge you to act collectively in response to this global problem – let your government know of your concern about climate change. If we keep living like we are now, we will make it much more difficult for future generations to have a good standard of living.”
Professor Molina visited Dublin to deliver his address, Climate Change: Science, Policy and Solutions, as part of the DCU Nobel Laureate Lecture Series, hosted by Dublin City University in association with Magnet Networks. Renowned for his seminal work in highlighting the threat to the ozone layer from CFC gases used in spray cans, refrigerants and solvents, Professor Molina’s prize-winning research was a precursor to the discovery of a hole in the ozone layer over the South Pole and resulted in the adoption of the Montreal Protocol which banned ozone-depleting chemicals. More recently, Professor Molina’s work has focussed on the chemistry of air pollution of the lower atmosphere and the problem of rapidly-expanding cities with serious air pollution problems.
The presentation was attended by 250 secondary students along with DCU staff and students, and was streamed live from DCU by Aertv, the online television service from Magnet Networks.
Reflecting DCU’s commitment to academic excellence and its ethos of access to education for all, the DCU Nobel Laureate Lecture series aims to bring to Ireland publicly accessible lectures by some of the world’s brightest minds. The Series features annual lectures by Nobel Laureates specialising in Physics, Chemistry, Peace, Economics, Physiology & Medicine and Literature. Previous speakers have included Dr Bill Phillips and Dr Steven Chu, both Nobel Laureates in Physics.