The problem of climate change lies in the fact that the majority of today's global energy is derived from fossil fuels - coal, oil and petroleum products and natural gas. Their combustion in industry, households and traffic generates gases such as sulphur (IV) oxide (sulphur dioxide) - SO2, nitrogen oxides - NOx and carbon (IV) oxide (carbon dioxide) - CO2, causing climate change - acid rain and global warming.
The acid rain is a result of combustion of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide gases, i.e. precipitation contaminated with the chemical compounds mentioned. These gases react with water from rain drops creating acid. Acid rain has approximately 40 times the amount of acid compared to rain water.
Global warming is the name for increasing the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and the ocean. It is a consequence of carbon dioxide and methane emissions, the so-called greenhouse gases, in the atmosphere mostly from industrial plants. Global warming is an ecological problem that affects everyone's life on Earth. Greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere for a long time - probably decades. The consequences of global warming are felt daily, and besides rising temperatures, they also include changes in biological processes, ice melting, rising sea levels, changes in plant and animal habitats due to adaptation to new climatic conditions, etc.
Climate change policy consists of two key elements: mitigation of climate change and adaptation to climate change, which in fact complement one another. Adaptation to climate impacts implies an assessment of the adverse impacts of climate change and taking appropriate measures to prevent or reduce the potential damage they may cause. Adaptation is still a fairly new area of policy, but the framework, relevant for climate change action, exists at all levels (international, European, national, regional / local, etc.
Observing the consequences of climate change, it is undeniable that the survival of plant and animal species, and thus of man, is endangered. The ultimate moment has therefore arrived for each of us to contribute to the slowdown of climate change and environmental protection through responsible environmental behaviour, energy and water saving and the use of renewable energy sources. Only in this way will we preserve the planet Earth for the generations to come.
