Paul Crutzen – Pioneer of Meteorology and Atmospheric Chemistry

We learned with great sadness that Nobel laureate Paul J. Crutzen passed away on January 28. His work on the decomposition of ozone in the atmosphere not only earned him a share of the Nobel Prize in 1995, but is an impressive example of evidence-based, scientific advocacy directly shaping policy. The ban on chlorofluorocarbon compounds is a unique example of successful intervention on a global scale. Thinking globally about human influences on our environment, Paul Crutzen also coined the term Anthropocene in the debate about our changing climate. His creativity and conviction will be missed.

Read more about this pioneer of atmospheric chemistry in this profile and leave an entry in the condolence book of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, from which he retired as head of the Department for Atmospheric Chemistry in 2000.