International Environmental Issues

International assessments now describe climate change as one of the defining global risks of our time. The 2025 Global Risks Report highlights extreme weather as the top threat over the next decade, driven by ever-hotter years and more destructive storms, floods, and heatwaves.

These events do not just damage ecosystems; they hit food systems, infrastructure, and economies, especially in countries with fewer resources to adapt. The World Economic Forum notes that environmental risks have steadily worsened since 2006, with climate-related threats deteriorating fastest in the 10‑year outlook. This shift means climate policy is now central to global security and economic planning, not just environmental debates.

Air pollution remains one of the most widespread environmental threats. The World Health Organization estimates that 99% of the global population breathes air exceeding guideline limits for key pollutants, with the heaviest exposures in low- and middle-income countries.

In big cities, traffic, industry, and power plants drive dirty air, while in rural areas, cooking with solid fuels and burning crop residues are major contributors. Beyond causing respiratory and cardiovascular disease, pollution also interacts with climate change—for example, some pollutants warm the atmosphere while others damage crops and ecosystems. Addressing air quality can therefore deliver rapid health and climate benefits at the same time.

Around 40% of the world’s soil is degraded, making it far less productive and, in some places, virtually unusable. Land also absorbs roughly 30% of carbon emissions, but degradation weakens this natural climate buffer, contributing to more warming. Droughts and poor land management further accelerate the damage, as seen in crises such as the Horn of Africa.

Soil degradation, deforestation, and development together drive biodiversity loss, pushing species toward extinction and reducing the resilience of ecosystems that support food, water, and livelihoods. Experts emphasize that halting and reversing biodiversity loss is tightly linked to stabilizing the climate, meaning conservation and climate policy must move in step, not in isolation. Investing in land restoration could save trillions in lost ecosystem services and strengthen food security.

Flooding is now the largest natural disaster worldwide, and sea‑level rise is magnifying its impacts. Recent measurements show an accelerated rise, with one recent year reaching 5.9 mm—significantly above the long‑term average increase. The World Economic Forum ranks such environmental changes among the top threats for the coming decade.

Low‑lying countries are particularly exposed. In Bangladesh, about 10% of the territory lies just one meter above sea level, and roughly 70% of the country experiences flooding each year. Rising seas and stronger storms risk displacing millions, damaging farmland with saltwater, and driving climate migration—all of which carry major political and economic implications far beyond national borders.

New, less visible environmental dangers are also gaining attention. The UN Environment Programme’s Frontiers Report 2025 warns about ancient microbes trapped in glaciers that may be released as ice rapidly melts under climate change. These microorganisms could pose unknown health and ecological risks for downstream communities already coping with flood hazards.

The same report highlights “legacy pollution”—toxic chemicals and waste left from past activities—that can be remobilized by floods and storms, contaminating water, soil, and food. It also stresses that climate risks are especially severe for ageing populations, who are more vulnerable during heatwaves and disasters. Together, these findings underline a key message: environmental issues are no longer distant or abstract; they are shaping how societies plan health care, infrastructure, and social protection today.