“Orbiting above the Earth, an astronaut can look down on our home and see the thin blue ribbon that rims our planet. That transparent blanket—our atmosphere—makes life possible. It provides the air we breathe and regulates our global temperature. And it contains a special ingredient called ozone that filters deadly solar radiation. Life as we know it is possible because of the protection afforded by the ozone layer. Gradually it has become clear to scientists and to governments alike that human activities are threatening our ozone shield. Behind this environmental problem lies a tale of twin challenges: the scientific quest to understand our ozone shield and the debate among governments about how best to protect it . . .”
Daniel Albritton et al.