A fundamental goal of the European and American governments must be to ensure that energy production, distribution and consumption do not harm the environment. Energy production and consumption in the EU and the US are currently predominately based on fossil fuels, which cause environmental damage such as acid rain, air pollution and global climate change. Some non-fossil energy sources, however, also impose unacceptable environmental and social costs, such as nuclear contamination and irreversible alteration of freshwater ecosystems.