Transboundary pollution

Transboundary pollution: This is any type of pollution which spreads across more than one country. Acid rain is a classic example of a transboundary pollution because it can be blown anywhere by the wind – see the website for more information.

Your task:

Describe a significant major pollution event, affecting more than one country and analyse the consequences of and responses to this event.

Use the following resources:

1. Overview of the issue: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_garbage_patch

2. Causes - Watch the YouTube – The Pacific Trash Vortex Explained

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc6LvdsyJ4U

3. Causes - Watch the following videos:

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/22431379#22431379

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/55881395#55881395

4. Where - Greenpeace site - http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/pollution/trash-vortex/

5. Great interactive tool that allows you to see the spatial distribution of the current global garbage patches. 

http://dumpark.com/seas-of-plastic-infographic/

6. Consequences – Watch the TED talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7K-nq0xkWY

7. Daily Mail - How the world's plastic waste is killing our beaches: Study finds HALF of the waste which washes up on Australia's coast comes from overseas

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3146795/How-China-s-plastic-waste-making-way-Australia-s-beaches-clogging-shores-killing-wildlife.html

8. Responses:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11478261

Something to listen to from the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00v1qtn

Critically analyse the attempts to control the effects and spread of a major international pollution event that you have studied.  (10)