Abstract:

Both the past and the present century are the period of the greatest scientific achievements and innovations in history. However, that progress has been made at the expense of huge amounts of energy produced mostly from non-renewable raw materials rich in carbon. Although in the second half of the twentieth century the danger of this practice became clear, by participating in a constant race for economic and political domination countries have continued to use these resources unrestrained. That is why today we are facing one of the most serious global challenges - climate change. Attempts are being made to reach an international agreement to reduce the impact of civilisation on the atmosphere. The transformation of energy systems in different countries into renewable energy technologies is often proposed as a remedy. However, such changes are costly from economical and political perspective. It may, therefore, appear that attempts at reform are doomed to failure. If that is so, are we prepared to function in a world with altered climatic conditions? Should we not, in parallel with our efforts to reduce our impact on nature, finally start preparing for the impending climate disaster?