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Energy is central to our economies, lifestyles and health. It powers industrial production, transportation and agriculture. It provides services such as heating, refrigeration and lightning. All these things raise the quality of life and provide unspoiled food and relief from the stresses of heat and cold.

Global energy use has climbed steadily over the years, as industrial economics has expanded. Since 1971 global energy use has risen nearly 70 per cent and is going increase over the next several decades. Scientists predict that by 2010 global energy consumption will rise by almost 50 per cent from 1993 levels. Nearly three quarters of all commercial energy is consumed by developed nations, but energy consumption in the Third World is rapidly increasing.

Today more than 85 per cent of the world energy needs are supplied by fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas). Fossil fuels are the ossilized remains of plants and animals, laid down in the earth over millions of years. They are cheap and, as many people believe, plentiful. Humankind is using fossil fuels at as alarming rate. This source of energy took millions of years to create – we will have used it in just a few decades. At the present rate of consumption, according to some estimates, there is enough oil for the next 60-80 years, enough coal for the next 150 years and natural gas – for the next 50 years.

Still many people think that fossil fuels will be powering our cars, homes and factories well into the 21 century and possibly beyond.

The rapid consumption of fossil fuels produces problems, which are very difficult to solve. The depletion of these nonrenewable resources is actually the robbery of our own children and grandchildren. Besides, the burning of fossil fuels causes air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions, which are responsible for the global climate warming.

Carbon dioxide is a part of the atmosphere and for millions of years its concentration changed in a very small range. The rise of carbon dioxide concentration was usually accompanied by the rise of global temperature and warming of the climate, and the reduction of these concentrations resulted in climate cooling and expanding of ice.

Since the beginning of the Industrial revolution carbon dioxide concentration has risen by almost one third. In the 20^th century humans discharged huge amounts of this gas and even if they manage to keep its emissions at today’s level, carbon dioxide concentration will double by the end of the 21^st century.

People are not only putting huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, they are also interfering with the normal way it is removed from it. Trees and other plants remove this gas from the air and replace it with oxygen, transforming carbon into wood. By rapidly destroying the forests, people are damaging the earth’s ability to remove excess carbon dioxide.