Atmospheric Chemist Susan Solomon Awarded the 2026 Tang Prize in Sustainable Development, Unraveling the Mystery of the Ozone Hole and Advancing Global Environmental Governance
Professor Susan Solomon, an American atmospheric chemist, has been awarded the 2026 Tang Prize in Sustainable Development for her groundbreaking research on the ozone hole and contributions to global environmental policy. Her work confirmed CFCs as the primary cause of ozone depletion, directly influencing the Montreal Protocol, and later demonstrated irreversible long-term climate impacts from CO₂ emissions, shaping international climate action.
The Tang Prize Foundation announced that American atmospheric chemist Professor Susan Solomon has received the 2026 Tang Prize in Sustainable Development. Solomon, currently the Lee and Geraldine Martin Professor of Environmental Studies at MIT, was honored for her pioneering work in atmospheric and climate sciences, which has shaped global sustainability policies. Her career spans over 40 years, beginning at NOAA in 1981, where she led expeditions to Antarctica in 1986 as the Head Project Scientist of the U.S. National Ozone Expedition. During her research at McMurdo Station, Solomon collected the first direct measurements of reactive chlorine compounds, confirming that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were the main cause of the expanding Antarctic ozone hole. Her findings became a scientific cornerstone for the Montreal Protocol, the landmark 1987 treaty to phase out ozone-depleting substances, widely regarded as the most successful environmental agreement in history. In 2016, her team at MIT identified early signs of ozone recovery over Antarctica, directly attributing the improvement to international cooperation under the Protocol. Solomon’s work extended beyond ozone depletion. A 2009 study revealed that CO₂ emissions cause irreversible climate impacts—such as rising surface temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and higher sea levels—for over 1,000 years, even if emissions cease. This research underscored the urgency of early and sustained climate action, reinforcing the link between scientific evidence and global policy. Additionally, she demonstrated how ozone layer thickness in the Southern Hemisphere influences atmospheric flows and ground-level temperatures, deepening understanding of Earth’s chemistry-climate interactions. Her proposed mechanism of heterogeneous chemical reactions explained how polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) accelerate chlorine gas formation under Antarctic winter conditions, becoming a foundational theory in stratospheric chemistry models. Solomon’s contributions have earned her nearly 70 international awards, including the U.S. National Medal of Science and the Blue Planet Prize. The Tang Prize, valued at NT$50 million, recognizes her as a leader in advancing sustainable development through scientific leadership and policy impact.
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