Describe environmental impacts that arise from using fossil fuels.

For fossil fuels, the environmental story starts with combustion. In the Environmental issues and energy decisions subtopic, coal, oil, and gas release carbon dioxide when burned, which contributes to climate change, and may release pollutants linked to air quality or acid rain. Extraction and transport can damage habitats or cause spills. This is distinct from nuclear fuel, where radioactive waste is the standout issue, and from renewable resources, where impacts are often more local and resource-specific. Approved keywords to include in this revision point: environmental impact.