Environmental impacts

All energy types have potential environmental impacts   

of varying degrees at every stage of the production cycle, from extraction to processing to final consumption.

Burning fossil fuels is accompanied by the release of acidic gases, dust, soot and other pollutive substances.

Open mining activities are necessary for obtaining fuels and result in the destruction of natural landscapes.

Functioning nuclear power stations are known to be unsafe, and the storage of radioactive waste that results from producing nuclear power is an expensive and technically unsolved problem.

Fossil fuels 

Nuclear power 

Renewable energies 


Energy can be also obtained through cleaner methods, using renewable resources, such as the sun, wind, hot mineral water and biomass.

In recent years, serious environmental impacts that have attracted public concern and the attention of policy-makers have been acid rain and global warming. Impacts on water, soil and land have also occurred but have been more localised.