The carbon footprint and environmental impact assessment of desalination

Desalination is an important means to meet water needs in many countries. The existing process is costly and energy intensive and further strains the environment with brine disposal and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This paper describes several factors that are to be considered in desalination plants, such as the use of the land, the contamination of groundwater and the marine environment, the use of energy, and noise pollution. One major indirect environmental impact is the production of the energy required to run the desalination plants, particularly from burning oil, which increases GHG emissions. The carbon footprints associated with sea water desalination plants in the United Arab Emirates are assessed along with the other factors affecting human and marine life. There is no standard environmental impact assessment method, but the World Health Organization has begun work to produce one. © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.