Central Otago scientists played a pivotal role in the Montreal Protocol and the success of the environmental treaty is being celebrated this week, 25 years after it was signed.
The protocol is the global agreement to phase out the production and use of substances depleting the ozone layer.
Minister for the Environment Amy Adams will host a function at Parliament tomorrow to mark the anniversary, and National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research of New Zealand (Niwa) principal scientist at the Lauder station, Richard McKenzie, is among those invited.
"This treaty was a triumph, really, because of a huge number of people. It brought together scientists, politicians, people from the manufacturing industry, all kinds of people to address the problem," Dr McKenzie said.
"Without this treaty, by now the levels of UV radiation would have increased and skin cancer would have been rife."
Dr McKenzie and principal scientist Paul Johnston were at Niwa's Lauder station in the 1980s when Lauder and Niwa's Antarctic stations first started taking measurements, which would later prove vital for the protocol.
"We were already doing the right measurements, in the right places, at the right time.
Because of that, we made significant contributions to the protocol," Dr McKenzie said.
Lauder's location made it equally important for future climate change research, as it was representative of southern mid-latitudes - "a significant chunk of the globe," he said.
The ozone hole was identified over the Antarctic in 1985, and measurements taken by Niwa were critical in disproving other theories about the cause of the depletion, and helping the community focus on the CFC issue.
"I think we should be pretty proud of ourselves, really.
We've made a significant contribution to this protocol, and tracking its success, through our work at Lauder," Dr McKenzie said.
Ozone depletion has stabilised in the past decade and the ozone layer, although fragile, is expected to recover.
Ms Adams said the ozone layer was on track to full recovery within this century, thanks to effective global action to reduce the use of ozone depleting substances in everyday products like air conditioners, refrigerators, foams and pesticides.
New Zealand had phased out almost all ozone-depleting substances, many in advance of the minimum timeframes required under the protocol, she said.
