The environmental challenges that we face today pose a threat not only to the natural world but also to our own existence. These problems are intricately linked and demand immediate attention and resolution not only from decision-makers and authorities but also from ordinary people. The fact that international major organizations are paying increasing attention indicates a rising awareness of the need for a coordinated, worldwide response. But is this response possible?
This article aims to shed light on the major environmental issues and what risks each one of these poses to human health, ecosystems, and economic stability.
All these environmental problems have one thing in common: they are the result of human activity.
Here are the environmental issues we believe are among the biggest the world faces today:
1️⃣ Biodiversity loss
Over the last half-century, there has been an explosive rise in human population which has led to an increase in consumption as well as in international trade and urbanization, all of which have resulted in the depletion of the Earth’s resources beyond the level at which these can be naturally replenished.
The loss of biodiversity was identified as one of the most serious threats to the planet over the next 10 years in the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2022. Moreover, with the assistance a supercomputer model, researchers managed to come up with a scenario in which it is predicted that by 2050 the world could lose 6% of all plants and animals on Earth.
Biodiversity protection offers essential services to humans such as crop pollination, fresh water, clean air, and healthy soil. It lessens the effects of natural hazards and aids in the battle against and adaptation to climate change.
💡 This is mid-blowing: It is projected that at least 1.2 million species of various plants and animals worldwide will become extinct, many of them by the year 2100.
Suggested reading: The effects of deforestation on humans, the environment and biodiversity
2️⃣ Air pollution
Air pollution occurs as the result of chemicals or dangerous particles entering the atmosphere. These particles can come from cigarette smoke, wildfire smoke, vehicle and aircraft emissions, and factories among many other sources. Around 7 million deaths among humans are caused by both indoor and outdoor air pollution.
Research indicates that the majority of air pollution-related deaths occur in low-to-middle-income nations.
💡This is mid-blowing In 2019, diseases linked to air pollution caused around 1.1 million premature deaths in Africa.
3️⃣ Water pollution
Water becomes contaminated and toxic when pollutants such as chemicals, leachate from waste or parasites find their way into it. Untreated wastewater, which contains human waste, chemical compounds, oils, and other materials, is a major source of water and soil pollution.
The UNEP estimates that 80% of wastewater worldwide is untreated but is being used for cooking and washing which can lead to fatal illnesses such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.
💡This is mind-blowing: Around 1.7 billion people worldwide consumed feces-contaminated drinking water in 2022.
Suggested reading: Water pollution in the world: major causes and statistics
4️⃣ Food and water insecurity
The major causes of water and food scarcity are unsustainable farming techniques and increasing temperatures. Over 68 billion tons of topsoil are eroded every year worldwide, mainly due to excessive tilling, with the erosion rate being 100 times greater than the rate of natural replenishment. As it is rich in fertilizer, when the soil reaches streams it pollutes drinking water sources.
Just 3% of all water on our planet is freshwater of which only 15% is available to us. Around 2/3 of the global population could experience a water deficit by 2025.
As the world’s population approaches 9 billion, the FAO predicts that by 2050, the world’s food demand could rise by 70%.
💡This is mind-blowing: More than 820 million people around the globe lack adequate nutrition and around 2 billion people today lack access to clean, safe drinking water.
5️⃣ Overfishing
Fish is the main source of protein for more than three billion people worldwide and roughly 12% of the global population is dependent on fishing in one way or another.
Overfishing is a result of both illegal and non-sustainable fishing practices which are widespread. Food insecurity, coral mortality, and employment loss for those in the fishing industry are all consequences of overfishing. In addition, the phenomenon of “bycatch,” or marine life that ships accidentally take on board, is also associated with overfishing.
💡This is mind-blowing: Approximately 80% of the world’s fisheries are either completely depleted, overfished, in a condition of collapse, or overexploited.
6️⃣ Deforestation
One-third of the world’s woods have disappeared in the last 10,000 years and, while this might not seem very much, half of that loss has occurred over the last century alone.
Urban development, agricultural growth, and logging are some of the causes of deforestation which has several negative effects, including harm to those people who rely on forests, biodiversity loss, flooding, and soil erosion.
With an area of 6.9 million square kilometers, or about 40% of the surface of South America, the Amazon represents the most extensive rainforest on the globe and is enriched with approximately three million different species of both plants and animals most of which could become extinct due to deforestation.
💡This is mind-blowing: Around 10 million hectares of forest are cut down annually, according to the FAO.
Suggested reading: Is it too late to rescue the Amazon despite falling deforestation rates?
7️⃣ Mining
Despite the fact that since 1880 and up to this day coal mining is a growing problem for the environment, mining for precious metals such as cobalt has made this practice even more dangerous for the environment. Cobalt is used for lithium-ion batteries in numerous electronics and most importantly in electric vehicles – one of the fastest-growing industries today.
Besides posing a risk to the environment, cobalt mining has a serious impact on human health. A study carried out in 2021 showed a connection between mining and the rise in violence, shortages of food and water, health issues, and damage to dwellings and farmland in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – the globe’s biggest cobalt supplier.
💡This is mind-blowing: As of 2022, approximately 190,000 metric tons of cobalt were produced worldwide in mines.
8️⃣ The waste problem (plastic, food, textiles)
Waste produced by humans is abundant with most of this being discarded in landfills. The World Bank estimates that humans dispose of over 2 billion tons of municipal solid waste every year and over a third of this is not managed in an eco-friendly way.
Textile waste
People and companies around the world produce just under 100 million tons of textile waste each year and by 2030 this figure is expected to hit 134 million tons. Over 39,000 tons of textile waste from other countries are thrown away in the world’s driest desert, Chile’s Atacama. The problem with textiles is that the fashion industry produces too many clothes which are then rarely recycled.
Did you know that the fashion industry is responsible for generating 10% of annual global carbon emissions? Furthermore, by 2030 the level of emissions is expected to grow by 50%!
Food waste
One-third of the world’s yearly greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to the global food system and half of this amount is caused by food waste and loss; if it were a nation, it would rank third in the world, behind China and the United States.
Plastic waste
Plastic doesn’t just vanish once it has been thrown away; instead, it breaks down into increasingly smaller pieces over a longer period of time. These little fragments, referred to as microplastic, have been discovered in soil, water, the atmosphere, and even human blood.
💡This is mind-blowing: Around 3.3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions are emitted into the environment annually as a result of food waste.
Suggested reading: The hidden dangers of plastic: Health and Environmental implications | Experts’ Opinions
9️⃣ Ocean acidification
About 30% of the carbon dioxide produced in the Earth’s atmosphere is absorbed by our oceans. The proportion of CO2 reabsorbed into the water increases in tandem with the increased amounts of carbon emissions that are generated due to human activity. The ocean’s acidity can be greatly affected by even the slightest shift in the pH scale.
Coral bleaching and the subsequent loss of coral reefs are two of the most significant environmental issues brought about by ocean acidification since their destruction can affect marine biodiversity and lead to the extinction of numerous marine creatures.
💡This is mind-blowing: Surface waters now have 30% more acidity than they did 250 years ago due to the seas absorbing 560 billion tons of CO2.
🔟 Burning fossil fuels
Power production, transportation, and heat – all need energy that is obtained from burning fossil fuels. Heat, however, releases greenhouse gases into the air, thereby trapping heat and increasing global temperatures which subsequently leads to extreme weather events and an increase in sea levels among other outcomes. Additionally, burning fossil fuels releases hazardous pollutants which can lead to lung cancer and asthma.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, fossil fuel combustion accounted for over 75% of emissions generated by humans during the previous two decades.
Why does humanity continue to use fossil fuels? They generate reliable and affordable energy and, according to data from the Environmental Energy Study Institute, they provide around 80% of the energy used globally.
Suggested reading: Will COP28 mark the beginning of the end for fossil fuels? | Experts’ Opinions
Final word
As we examine each of these issues in more detail, it becomes evident that the state of our world for future generations will be determined by the choices we make today. It is a call to action for people, communities, and countries to cooperate in order to build a future that is safer and more environmentally conscious.
