1. Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2010): The largest marine oil spill in history, releasing about 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
2. Fukushima nuclear disaster (2011): A series of nuclear meltdowns and releases of radioactive materials following a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
3. Amazon rainforest fires (2019-2020): Widely considered as one of the worst-ever forest fires, large areas of the Amazon rainforest were destroyed, releasing massive amounts of carbon dioxide.
4. Chernobyl disaster (1986): Though not recent, it remains one of the most significant nuclear accidents with severe environmental and health impacts in present-day Ukraine.
5. Three Gorges Dam (2008-present): While it was presented as a solution for flood control and energy generation, the colossal dam in China has caused numerous ecological problems including displacement of thousands of people and significant loss of biodiversity.
6. Exxon Valdez oil spill (1989): The spill off the coast of Alaska released over 11 million gallons of oil, causing severe damage to marine wildlife and habitats.
7. Hurricane Katrina (2005): One of the most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history, it led to severe flooding and widespread ecological damage along the Gulf Coast.
8. Bhopal gas tragedy (1984): A gas leak from a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, resulted in the release of toxic chemicals, causing thousands of immediate deaths and long-term health effects.
9. Rana Plaza collapse (2013): Though not strictly environmental, it highlighted the disastrous consequences of poor working conditions, and the textile industry’s impact on the environment through pollution and deforestation.
10. Australian bushfires (2019-2020): The wildfires that ravaged large parts of Australia, killing billions of animals, destroying ecosystems, and releasing massive amounts of carbon dioxide.
