Abstract
Climate change represents a systemic risk that simultaneously affects natural ecosystems, the economy, and public health, with impacts manifested through more frequent and more intense extreme weather events, resource degradation, and impaired food and water security. Mitigation requires rapid reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions, while adaptation entails adjusting infrastructure, production systems, and public services to new climatic conditions. In this context, nanotechnology stands out as a horizontal technological platform that enables the development of materials and devices with improved functional properties. This paper synthesizes relevant evidence on the potential of nanotechnology in carbon-dioxide capture, storage, and conversion; enhanced energy efficiency; the development of advanced solar cells and electrochemical energy storage; as well as sustainable agriculture, water treatment, and environmental monitoring. In particular, the expected gains are often contingent on integrating solutions across the full process, because benefits can be offset by the high energy and material demands of production. The paper also highlights key challenges related to nanomaterial safety, including toxicological uncertainty, potential impacts on ecosystems, limitations of available empirical data, and the need for standardization, transparency, and an evidence-based regulatory framework. It is concluded that nanotechnology can be a meaningful component of the climate-action solution portfolio, but only under responsible development principles, validation of performance under real-world conditions, and systematic risk assessment. Practical deployment, however, requires that climate benefits be quantified with measurable indicators and compared against potential adverse effects.
How to cite
Milenković, D., Cvetković, V. M., & Gajović, A. (2026). Nanotehnologije: Izazovi u borbi protiv klimatskih promena [Nanotechnology: Challenges in combating climate change]. U I. Ilić, D. Barjaktarević, & C. Smilevski (Ur.), Stanje i zaštita životne sredine – multidisciplinarni pristup: Zbornik radova (str. 101–114). Beograd: Fakultet za informacione tehnologije i inženjerstvo, Univerzitet „Union – Nikola Tesla“.
