Lessons from successful environmental adaptation projects...

We often talk about climate change and its impacts as if it were a wild dream. As if it is a utopian approach doomed to fail. Yet humanity has already successfully addressed similar problems.

Acid Rain and Ozone Hole. Two major environmental crises that have been successfully addressed thanks to coordinated international action.

Acid rain was a major environmental problem in the late 20th century, particularly from the 1970s to the 1990s. It affected forests, lakes, rivers, buildings and human health in many areas, particularly in North America and Europe until it was controlled.

Acid rain is caused by sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ). These gases were emitted mainly from thermal power plants burning coal or oil, industrial plants, and vehicles (especially those without catalytic converters). When these gases are released into the atmosphere, they react with water vapor to form sulfuric and nitric acid, which fall to the ground in rain, snow, or even fog.

Acid rain today has not been completely eliminated, but has been significantly reduced in most developed countries thanks to specific measures such as regulations and international agreements. The Gothenburg Convention (1999) in Europe, the Clean Air Act in the USA, which included strict limits on SO₂ and NOₓ emissions; the installation of filters and desulphurisation in factories; the use of cleaner fuels and natural gas; the mandatory fitting of catalysts in vehicles; and improvements in combustion technology.

As a result, in North America and Western Europe, SO₂ and NOₓ levels have fallen by more than 70% since the 1980s. Many lakes and forests have begun to recover. The problems that exist today are concentrated in developing countries (e.g. India, China), where industrial development and coal burning continue. The phenomenon remains locally significant near industrial centres without adequate emission controls.

In Europe, NOₓ and SO₂ emissions have been significantly reduced due to environmental regulations and the transition to cleaner energy sources. However, areas with heavy industrial activity or high vehicle traffic may still face problems.

Another case from which we can learn lessons is the Ozone hole, which is another major environmental crisis that has been successfully addressed thanks to coordinated international action.

The Ozone hole is not a real “hole”, but it is a significant decrease in the concentration of ozone (O₃) in the stratosphere, mainly over Antarctica. The ozone there (at a height of ~15-35 km) absorbs ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, protecting life on Earth. Its reduction allows more UV-B radiation to reach the surface → skin cancer, cataracts, damage to plants and plankton.

The main cause was the so-called CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) and other fluorinated compounds, such as halons, used in refrigerators, air conditioners, sprays, insulation materials, etc. These gases were stable, reached the stratosphere, and there destroyed ozone molecules (each chlorine atom can destroy thousands of ozone molecules before it is neutralised).

To address the phenomenon, the Montreal Protocol (1987) was signed by almost all countries of the world, banning CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances and is considered one of the most successful international environmental agreements.

Today the problem has largely been addressed. Emissions of CFCs have almost been reduced to zero. Stratospheric ozone concentration is stabilising and gradually recovering. The “hole” over Antarctica still occurs seasonally (September - November) but is smaller and less intense than in the 1980s-1990s. According to the UN (2023), if current trends continue, the stratospheric ozone layer will return to 1980 levels around 2040 globally and by 2066 over Antarctica. There are some illegal emissions of CFCs (e.g. in China detected in 2019), but they are closely monitored and authorities are taking action.

Coping with acid rain and the ozone hole also offers valuable lessons for addressing climate change. Environmental problems are not insoluble - they need political will, citizen pressure, and innovation.

The acid rain and ozone hole phenomena offer valuable lessons for dealing with climate change, although there are important differences. First of all, it should be noted that acid rain and ozone hole gases are not greenhouse gases, i.e. those that contribute to global warming. Nevertheless, they are environmentally harmful and have been treated as such. Let's look at the common Lessons from Environmental Successes.

It would be a mistake to oversimplify things in the case of climate change where a key difference can be identified:

Nevertheless, we can keep in mind that cooperation and technology can help to address the problems caused by the effects of climate change. We can succeed when humanity cooperates on the basis of science. Environmental problems are not unsolvable - they need political will, citizen pressure, and innovation. So there is still hope.