Mack McFarland Death, Obituary – When we found out about Dr. Mack McFarland’s passing a few weeks ago, we are incredibly upset. Kevin Fay, the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy’s executive director, sent the ensuing message: “We are writing to inform you of the passing of Dr. Mack McFarland, a friend and professional associate of ours. Mack had a long career as an esteemed atmospheric scientist and significant advisor to UNEP, the DuPont company, and the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy. We have had the privilege and honor of getting to know Mack and working with him for almost 40 years, starting with the early days of the Alliance and the policy initiatives connected to the ozone protection issue.
He was a key contributor to the scientific analysis that shaped the discussions during the Montreal Protocol’s initial negotiations and all of its subsequent revisions, most recently the Kigali amendment. The more than three decades of success that have made the Montreal Protocol the most successful environmental agreement ever negotiated were strongly influenced by him. He contributed significantly to that achievement and was a steady hand and reliable scientist. His efforts to make difficult atmospheric science understandable for laypeople and to support the development of credible and workable policy solutions based on that research led to the recognition and appreciation of his work by top business executives and policymakers around the world.
More importantly, he was a great man, a beloved teammate, and a devoted friend. The American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (the AIM Act) was approved, the Kigali ratification procedure was concluded here in the United States, and the Kigali modification to the Montreal Protocol was finished. Despite the sadness of his loss, we can take solace in the knowledge that he was present for the achievement of his work over the past six years. He left behind a legacy that very few people can legitimately claim to have accomplished by their own efforts, therefore we owe him a big debt of gratitude.”