Explain the process of acid rain using the storyboard in your own words.

You must describe how acid rain ismade and the effects it has on theenvironment.

Starter – 10 mins

Learning outcomes

You should all be able to:• Describe pollution management strategies for dealing

with acid deposition

Most of you should be able to• Evaluate these strategies

Some of you might be able to:• Explain why the effect of acid deposition is regional rather

than global

Acid Deposition - solutionsCars are now

fitted with catalytic

converters to remove these acidic gases;

Nitrogen oxides

Acid DepositionPower stations are running on cleaner fuel i.e., nuclear fuel, wind, solar.

They also remove acidic gases, i.e. Sulphur dioxide, “scrubbing”.

Replace

• Burning less fuels like coal and oil – using something like wind turbines instead

• Driving less cars (car-shares, public transport)

• Reduce demand for electricity

• Use low sulfur level fuels

Regulate (point of emission)

• Catalytic converters in cars – turns nitrogen oxides into nitrogen gas which is not as harmful

• Scrubbing in chimneys to remove sulfur dioxide

Restore

• Putting lime into acidified lakes and rivers

• Putting lime into forestry plantations.

Evaluate the different techniques…

What are the good and the bad points of the different pollution management techniques that we have just seen?

International agreements

1979 – UN Convention on Long-Range transboundary Air Pollution– It was crucial in the clean-up of acidification in Europe.

• Brought together polluter and polluted• Set clear targets for pollution reduction• It made polluters recognise their international environmental

responsibilities• 1983 – cut sulfur emissions by 30% of 1980 levels by 1993• 1993 – cut emissions by 80% of 1980 levels by 2003

1999 Gothenburg Protocol to abate acidification, eutrophication and ground level ozone.– Commits countries to reduce their emissions of sulfur dioxide

Regional vs global?

• Why do you think acid deposition is a regional issue rather than a global issue?

1. Explain the sulfate deposition in these graphs.2. Explain the decrease seen in 1995-97.

Regional vs global?

Depends on the geology of the area…

Acid rain does little harm to soils derived from calcium carbonate rocks (limestone and chalk). Why?

Regional vs global?