1. Topic 5: Pollution Management
Topic 6: Global Warming
5.1: Nature of Pollution
6.1.4: Feedback and Global Warming
The Svalbard Coal

2. Topic 5: Pollution Management
Topic 6: Global Warming
5.1: Nature of Pollution
6.1.4: Feedback and Global Warming
Svalbard
Svalbard is an ancient island within the Arctic
circle
At its Northern most point Svalbard is only
1100 km from the North Pole
Norway
During the last Ice Age it was connected to the
mainland
Finland
Sweden

3. Topic 5: Pollution Management
Topic 6: Global Warming
5.1: Nature of Pollution
6.1.4: Feedback and Global Warming
Svalbard
Following the end of the Ice Age about 10000
B.P.
“Discovered” in 1596 by Dutch explorer
Willem Barents
Norway
Used as a Whaling centre by several Nations
but especially Russians over the next 200 years
Finland
Norwegian since 1925
Sweden

4. Topic 5: Pollution Management
Topic 6: Global Warming
5.1: Nature of Pollution
6.1.4: Feedback and Global Warming
Conditions on Svalbard
Permanent ice covers much of
Svalbard - permafrost = 450m deep
Only on coastal lowlands does snow
melt in the summer
Short growing period from late June
to early October
Source: Google Maps

5. Topic 5: Pollution Management
Topic 6: Global Warming
5.1: Nature of Pollution
6.1.4: Feedback and Global Warming
Coal on Svalbard
Coal Mines on the island for about
100 years since the early 20th
Century
In 2006 three operational mines -
two large mines and one small mine
1994 - 500,000 tons
2004 - 2,500,000 tons
Source: Wikimedia Commons

6. Topic 5: Pollution Management
Topic 6: Global Warming
5.1: Nature of Pollution
6.1.4: Feedback and Global Warming
Coal on Svalbard - why?
As accessible coal reserves are used
up less accessible ones become
economically viable
Energy security for Norway as
North Sea gas supplies begin to run
down
Source: Wikimedia Commons

7. Topic 5: Pollution Management
Topic 6: Global Warming
5.1: Nature of Pollution
6.1.4: Feedback and Global Warming
Pathways of Svalbard mining
Coal sold
1.2x106 t/yr
Coal
excavated
Blows away
Coal Dust
0.025x106
t/yr Deposited
Methane locally
Released (ice,soil, plants)

8. Topic 5: Pollution Management
Topic 6: Global Warming
5.1: Nature of Pollution
6.1.4: Feedback and Global Warming
Coal Mining and local pollution: Negative Feedback loops
?
Dust in the atmosphere act as condensation nuclei
More precipitation
Dust particles washed out of atmosphere by extra
precipitation
Levels of dust in the atmosphere fall
Precipitation levels fall

9. Topic 5: Pollution Management
Topic 6: Global Warming
5.1: Nature of Pollution
6.1.4: Feedback and Global Warming
Coal Mining and Global Warming: Positive Feedback loops
?
Methane gas released during mining activity
Increases global warming
Higher temperature melt permafrost
Methane released from now swampy land