12. Environmental issues CS

Example of when solar/wind output fell

Dunkleflaute in Germany December 2024

Prices spiked - Germany had to import more

Couple days in December added about 750million to electricity costs

Iberian peninsula blackout

Most of Iberia was without power for almost 16 hours

Rapidly growing voltage tripping power stations

Germany reaction to Fukushima

Decided to discontinue all nuclear energy - Angela Merkel

Example of agricultural run-off

Mississippi Basin -

Oil spill

Deepwater Horizon BP - Gulf of Mexico

France Nuclear

France’s Messmer plan in 1975 - built over 50 nuclear reactors

Now nuclear supplies 70% of France’s energy

UK North Sea

UK decided to drill Jackdaw after originally pulling out of North Sea oil and gas

Japan energy

Japan must import 90% of energy as very limited natural resources

Itaipu dam in Paraguary

90% of domestic electricity supply

Name of bell shape curve /-\

Environmental kuznets curve

How can mines pollute

Machiney: noise, dust, fuel - damage plants

Rust/sulphur contamination of groundwater

Mines causing landslide

Tailings pile - loosley bound earth that is easily eroded and landslides occur

Indonesia mines - how much of what, where and how, impacts

90% of worlds nickel - EVs

Open pit mining close to shore

Coral reefs/ biodiversity

Sustainable mines

Bowsers, impermeable membrane to prevent groundwater contamination, reuse pit as landfill, electrification, computer efficiency

Letting a field recover

Fallow period

CS for sustainable farming - HIC/MIC

Rotterdam farm - manure for desalination, building, football pitch clippings to feed cows, floating to avoid climate change, solar panels

MIC -- India replacing synthetic fertilisers with natural fertilisers - manure

SDG trainline in Kenya

Has viaducts but has disturbed wildife/migration routes