When I grew up/was in school, the main worry after nuclear armageddon (or just the Cold War escalating/the Russians invading, being that close to the Iron Curtain) was pollution, too but the baddies then were sulphur compounds (from diesel cars and brown coal fired power plants), NO_x and other exhaust fumes. The ideal engine was one that produced only CO₂ and water because they were considered inert. A bit later, it was CFCs. It was more about quality of life than climate change.