Earth's climate
The atmosphere and climate of the Earth have changed a great
deal over millions of years.
Warm and cold periods have alternated. Certain changes have
lasted only for a few years, while others have lasted for millennia.
Today a growing number of signs indicate that the climate on
our planet is yet again transforming.
We experience weather extremities more and more often. The
average temperature in Europe has gone up almost 1 degree Celsius in the last
hundred years, while the amount of precipitation has dropped. A warming climate
is bringing about a series of environmental changes. Polar icecaps may melt,
which would result in the sea level rising and communities on the shores being
flooded.
The atmosphere of the Earth is expected to warm up even more
in the 21st century. Even if we can decrease carbon dioxide emissions, the
average temperature will still rise by at least 2 degrees Celsius.
However, if the world does not put an end to air pollution,
then this number may rise to 4-5 degrees Celsius. It is in all our interests to
prevent an ecological disaster.
According to experts, global carbon dioxide emissions must
be cut by 50% by 2050. One way to do that is through energy efficiency. This
means developing devices that use less electric current and designing vehicles
with lower fuel consumption. Installing thermal insulation in buildings,
eliminating wasteful energy consumption and transforming the way people think
about this subject are all measures we can take to protect the climate.
Besides energy saving methods, we must also make use of
renewable energy sources, like the Sun, the wind and the water. These do not
release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere: at the same time they are at our
disposal in unlimited quantities, unlike conventional energy sources. It is in
making greater use of them that we can moderate the further warming of the
Earth's climate.
