The Impacts of Increasing Energy use
Use the statements below to create a table of the Social, Political, Economic and Environmental impacts of increased energy
use.
Social and Political Impacts
Economic impacts
Environmental impacts
 To produce more energy, more power plants are required. As Power plants are huge and are an eyesore, the
building and presence causes nearby residents to move away from the area.
 Burning fossil fuels releases Carbon Dioxide which adds to global warming. This will cause the sea level to rise,
cause extreme weather and will make some species extinct. Using more fossil fuels will increase Global warming.
 Nuclear power plants produce radioactive waste that can cause illnesses such as Cancer and Radiation
Poisoning.
 Increase in Power plants can also increase the number of jobs for local residents as more people are needed to
maintain them.
 Climate change will cost money because of increased disasters such as hurricanes and reduction in crop yields
 Transporting oil using oil pipes can be risky as if one of the pipes burst the oil spills would kill birds and aqua
marine life.
 Droughts and floods caused by climate change lead to famine, disease and homelessness.
 Political parties in countries such as the USA are funded by oil and gas companies giving these companies
influence over the government’s policies.
 Burning fuels also releases Sulphur dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide which dissolves in water in the atmosphere and
can cause acidic precipitation. The acid rain can kill Animals as well as plants.
 Poor air quality from burning fossil fuels and from car exhausts causes asthma and other diseases.
 Mercury is released when coal is burned – linked to neurological and developmental problems in humans.
 Countries with a lot of energy resources e.g. coal will benefit as other countries will buy energy from them and
the country will become richer.
 Mining for coal causes air and water pollution and it also removes large areas of land which destroys many
habitats. .
 As easily accessible energy reserves are used up more and more money is spent exploring and exploiting remote
areas e.g the Arctic.
 Gathering wood for burning causes Deforestation which can cause damage to many ecosystems and habitats.
 More money may be invested in developing renewable energy as fossil fuel reserves become more expensive to
exploit.
Once you have dragged the statements into the correct columns – highlight any POSITIVE impacts!