There is a hole in the Ozone layer.
As a child, the hole in the Ozone layer was a commonly discussed issue that was understood to affect Australia. The hole, worsened by the use of greenhouse gases, was thought to be the cause of Australia’s alarming skin cancer rates.
However, the realities of the Ozone hole are very different. CSIRO explains that the hole appears exclusively above Antarctica, re-forming on an annual basis. Misconceptions of this kind are rife within climate discussions. Due to denialism and large-scale greenwashing, it isn’t easy to know what is really harming our planet.
Growing consumer awareness of climate change has resulted in companies falsely promoting sustainable measures. H&M, for example, has faced legal action for its misleading sustainability program, which falsely claimed to prevent textile waste.
It’s easy to get lost in the rhetoric. I was initially deceived by greenwashing propaganda; I now make a conscious effort to shop ethically. Melbourne is a city known for its thrift shopping districts, and being based near Fitzroy will allow me to frequent vintage stores. The city also has many active environmental groups, such as AMCS and Sea Shepherd, which focus on protecting Australia’s marine life and ecosystems, which have been affected by the climate crisis.
I have always been committed to eco practices, maintaining a vegetarian diet, recycling, and using renewable energy options where possible. However, as I have continued to research sustainability, I realise that the impacts of my efforts are negligible. Large corporations and fossil fuel companies must take responsibility for their impact on the planet. Half of the world’s CO2 emissions come from just thirty-six fossil fuel firms. It’s these same companies that contributed $445m in the last US election to influence Donald Trump and his pro-fossil fuel actions. Societies’ attempts to address climate action are hampered by the fossil fuel giants that have stakes in political and climate debates.
However, he pressure for environmental change is mounting. As early as 1989, all countries had unanimously agreed under the Montreal Protocol to reduce the worldwide use of chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were causing damage to the Ozone. As a result, the atmosphere began to heal, and by 2050, the Ozone hole should be mostly gone.
The Montreal Protocol is understood to be the most successful environmental treaty ever created. These emission reduction targets not only stabilized the Ozone layer but also limited the amount of super-greenhouse gases that were contributing to global warming. As we faced the looming climate crisis, it is valuable to remember the quick response to the Ozone hole and the unanimous support it received worldwide. As individuals, the climate disaster can feel impossible to overcome without the support of large corporations, but when faced with the collapse of our atmosphere, we were able to take the necessary actions to bring about a solution.
There’s a hole in the Ozone layer, and it’s healing.
There is so much more we can do.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/23/big-oil-445m-trump-congress
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/05/half-of-worlds-co2-emissions-come-from-36-fossil-fuel-firms-study-shows
https://www.csiro.au/en/news/all/articles/2017/october/ozone-hole
https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/the-hole-in-the-ozone
https://www.thesustainablefashionforum.com/pages/hm-is-being-sued-for-misleading-sustainability-marketing-what-does-this-mean-for-the-future-of-greenwashing
