The problems raised by energy

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  • Created by: meg5433
  • Created on: 28-02-19 13:40
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  • The problems raised by energy : Environmental impacts
    • The tragedy of fossil fuels.
      • Burning fossil fuels remains the most effective way to produce energy
        • main cause of global warming and greenhouse gasses
        • Coal causes fine dust particles which have a direct impact on health
          • -Asthma, -Lung cancer
          • important in places like Beijing and New Delhi
            • Beijing - 16X above limit defined by WHO. due to -transport -factories -power stations that use coal (creates smog)
              • China uses less now. Hopefully an energy of the past
      • Oil spill
        • tanker accidents or problems with offshore rigs.
        • Production and transport is dangerous for environment and human life. Accidents are frequent
        • -inflammable, -liquid, -explosive, -sticky.
        • Deepwater horizon accident
          • oil leaked for 3 months
          • coastline of USA from Florida-Louisiana
            • destroyed biodiversity for years
        • Nigeria
          • coastline effected everyday by small oil spills
          • oil spill the size of portugal
          • Problem is the lack of strict rules to protect the environment
      • New Techniques
        • Fracking to access hard to reach deposits in shale rock
          • Consists of breaking rocks deep underground
            • mixture of sand,water and chemicals
          • very polluting to soil and water
          • creates a big risk of explosions
          • probably won't develop in Europe but it has boomed in the USA over 10 years
    • Nuclear Energy
      • not very widespread
        • Demands a high level of technology and is costly in the beginning
        • Only important in the EU because of lack of primary energy
      • Very controversial
        • nuclear pollution is very specific, lasts a long time, intensity is unknown
        • Fukushima accident
          • explosion of a nuclear power plant due to earthquakes and tsunamis
            • radioactive materials released into air, water and soils
              • long term impacts which are uncertain and caused closure of all nuclear power plants in Japan
                • Japan now need to import 90% of their energy
      • Environmentally Positive
        • not alot of co2
          • pollution and waste will last centuries
            • recycling is dangerous so we bury it
      • Almost all ecological NGOs are against it but it still has supporters due to low co2.
        • Nuclear energy will be important in the transition to a more renewable energy. It will help us transition. It can not be done overnight
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