Environmental issues
Environmental issues are disruptions in the usual function of ecosystems. Further, these issues can be caused by humans or they can be natural. These issues are considered serious when the ecosystem cannot recover in the present situation, and catastrophic if the ecosystem is projected to certainly collapse.
Environmental protection is the practice of protecting the natural environment on the individual, organizational or governmental levels, for the benefit of both the environment and humans. Environmentalism is a social and environmental movement that addresses environmental issues through advocacy, legislation education, and activism.
Environment destruction caused by humans is a global, ongoing problem. Water pollution also cause problems to marine life. Some scholars believe that the projected peak global population of roughly 9–10 billion people could live sustainably within the earth's ecosystems if humans worked to live sustainably within planetary boundaries. The bulk of environmental impacts are caused by excessive consumption of industrial goods by the world's wealthiest populations. The UN Environmental Program, in its "Making Peace With Nature" Report in 2021, found addressing key planetary crises, like pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss, was achievable if parties work to address the Sustainable Development Goals.
Types
Major current environmental issues may include climate change, pollution, environmental degradation, and resource depletion. The conservation movement lobbies for protection of endangered species and protection of any ecologically valuablenatural areas, genetically modified foods and global warming. The UN system has adopted international frameworks for environmental issues in three key issues, which has been encoded as the "triple planetary crises": climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
Human impact
Pollution
Degradation
Conflict
Costs
Environmental issues impose a heavy and wide-ranging economic burden affecting public health, infrastructure, productivity, ecosystems, and long-term economic growth.- Health and public-health costs: In the United States alone, the annual health costs from air pollution and climate change, including increased illness, hospitalizations, lost wages, and premature deaths — have been estimated to exceed US$820 billion per year.
- Global economic losses from climate change and extreme weather: Worldwide, climate change–related damage to infrastructure, property, agriculture, and human health is projected to cost between US$1.7 and US$3.1 trillion per year by 2050. World Economic Forum Across the period 2000–2019, extreme weather events alone caused roughly US$2.8 trillion in cumulative losses.
- Costs of environmental externalities and nature-decline: Sectors that drive biodiversity loss, such as agriculture, fossil-fuels, forestry, infrastructure, fisheries, and mining, generate substantial environmental externalities. Recent estimates put the global cost of these negative externalities at US$10.5 to US$ 22.6 trillion annually.
- Lost economic potential and productivity: Declines in ecosystem services, biodiversity, and natural capital can undermine long-term economic stability. For example, widespread deforestation, land degradation, and ecosystem collapse erode resources for agriculture, fisheries, water supply, and climate regulation, thereby threatening livelihoods and economic resilience.
Action
Justice
The 2023 IPCC report highlighted the disproportionate effects of climate change on vulnerable populations. The report's findings make it clear that every increment of global warming exacerbates challenges such as extreme heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and other weather extremes, which in turn amplify risks for human health and ecosystems. With nearly half of the world's population residing in regions highly susceptible to climate change, the urgency for global actions that are both rapid and sustained is underscored. The importance of integrating diverse knowledge systems, including scientific, Indigenous, and local knowledge, into climate action is highlighted as a means to foster inclusive solutions that address the complexities of climate impacts across different communities.In addition, the report points out the critical gap in adaptation finance, noting that developing countries require significantly more resources to effectively adapt to climate challenges than what is currently available. This financial disparity raises questions about the global commitment to equitable climate action and underscores the need for a substantial increase in support and resources. The IPCC's analysis suggests that with adequate financial investment and international cooperation, it is possible to embark on a pathway towards resilience and sustainability that benefits all sections of society.
Law
Assessment
Movement
Organizations
Environmental issues are addressed at a regional, national or international level by government organizations.The largest international agency, set up in 1972, is the United Nations Environment Programme. The International Union for Conservation of Nature brings together 83 states, 108 government agencies, 766 Non-governmental organizations and 81 international organizations and about 10,000 experts, scientists from countries around the world. International non-governmental organizations include Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and World Wide Fund for Nature. Governments enact environmental policy and enforce environmental law and this is done to differing degrees around the world.