List of environmental issues

Environmental issues are harmful aspects of human activity on the biophysical environment. This alphabetical list is loosely divided into causes, effects and mitigation, noting that effects are interconnected and can cause new effects.

Issues

Effects

Environmental impact of aviation
Environmental impact of the petroleum industryExhaust gasWaste tires • Motor vehicle emissions and pregnancy • Externalities of automobiles
Environmental impact of shipping (Cruise ships in Europe • Cruise ships in the United States)
Air pollutionAtmospheric particulate matterBiological effects of UV exposureCFCEnvironmental impact of the coal industryEnvironmental impact of hydraulic fracturingIndoor air qualityOzone depletionSmogTropospheric ozoneVolatile organic compound • Ultrafine particles
Light pollution
Noise pollution
Soil pollutionAlkali soilBrownfield • Residual sodium carbonate index • Soil conservationSoil erosionSoil contaminationSoil salinationSuperfundSuperfund sites
Visual pollution
Water pollutionAcid rainAgricultural runoffAlgal bloomEnvironmental impact of the coal industryEnvironmental impact of hydraulic fracturingEutrophicationFish killGroundwater pollutionGroundwater rechargeMarine debrisMarine pollutionMercury in fishMicroplasticsNutrient pollutionOcean acidificationOcean dumpingOil spillsSoda lakeShip pollutionThermal pollutionUrban runoffWastewater
Space pollutionSpace debrisInterplanetary contamination
ConsumerismConsumer capitalismPlanned obsolescenceOver-consumption
FishingBlast fishingBottom trawlingCyanide fishingGhost netsIllegal, unreported and unregulated fishingOverfishing • Shark culling • Shark finningWhaling
LoggingClearcuttingDeforestationIllegal logging
MiningAcid mine drainageEnvironmental impact of hydraulic fracturingMountaintop removal miningSlurry impoundments
Water (depletion)Anoxic watersAral SeaCalifornia Water WarsDead SeaLake ChadWater scarcity

Mitigation

See also