Veerabhadran Ramanathan, distinguished professor emeritus at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Crafoord Prize in Geosciences for his groundbreaking research on atmospheric aerosols and climate pollutants. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences praised his work for establishing a fundamental understanding of how minute particles and gases in the atmosphere drive climate change, significantly advancing knowledge of Earth’s energy balance and global warming.
Ramanathan expressed that he was “speechless and humbled” by the recognition, noting that receiving an award from the same academy that presents the Nobel Prize highlights the credibility of climate science during a period of growing public debate. UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla lauded the award as recognition of Ramanathan’s pioneering contributions and emphasized that sustained research investment is critical for protecting the planet.
Over more than five decades, Ramanathan transformed climate science. In 1975, he revealed that chlorofluorocarbons trap heat thousands of times more effectively than carbon dioxide, reshaping the understanding of greenhouse gases and leading to the identification of other potent pollutants such as methane and hydrofluorocarbons. During the 1980s, he contributed to NASA satellite missions that measured Earth’s energy budget, confirming the increasing heat-trapping effects of human-produced greenhouse gases. Subsequent research demonstrated that soot and other aerosols contribute to warming, disrupt rainfall patterns, and accelerate the melting of Himalayan glaciers.
His discoveries have guided global climate policy, including initiatives under the UN-led Climate and Clean Air Coalition to reduce short-lived climate pollutants. Born in Chennai in 1944, Ramanathan earned his PhD from the State University of New York in 1974 and joined Scripps Oceanography in 1990. Over his career, he has advised world leaders, served four popes through the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and acted as a science advisor to the Holy See delegation at the 2015 Paris climate summit.
Ramanathan is the second Scripps scientist to receive the Crafoord Prize, which comes with eight million Swedish kronor (approximately $900,000). The award will be presented in Sweden during Crafoord Days, scheduled from May 18–20, 2026, celebrating his decades-long contributions to climate science and global environmental policy.
