ecological problems in the world essay

Environmental Issues Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on environmental issues.

The environment plays a significant role to support life on earth. But there are some issues that are causing damages to life and the ecosystem of the earth. It is related to the not only environment but with everyone that lives on the planet. Besides, its main source is pollution , global warming, greenhouse gas , and many others. The everyday activities of human are constantly degrading the quality of the environment which ultimately results in the loss of survival condition from the earth.

Source of Environment Issue

There are hundreds of issue that causing damage to the environment. But in this, we are going to discuss the main causes of environmental issues because they are very dangerous to life and the ecosystem.

Pollution – It is one of the main causes of an environmental issue because it poisons the air , water , soil , and noise. As we know that in the past few decades the numbers of industries have rapidly increased. Moreover, these industries discharge their untreated waste into the water bodies, on soil, and in air. Most of these wastes contain harmful and poisonous materials that spread very easily because of the movement of water bodies and wind.

Greenhouse Gases – These are the gases which are responsible for the increase in the temperature of the earth surface. This gases directly relates to air pollution because of the pollution produced by the vehicle and factories which contains a toxic chemical that harms the life and environment of earth.

Climate Changes – Due to environmental issue the climate is changing rapidly and things like smog, acid rains are getting common. Also, the number of natural calamities is also increasing and almost every year there is flood, famine, drought , landslides, earthquakes, and many more calamities are increasing.

Above all, human being and their greed for more is the ultimate cause of all the environmental issue.

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How to Minimize Environment Issue?

Now we know the major issues which are causing damage to the environment. So, now we can discuss the ways by which we can save our environment. For doing so we have to take some measures that will help us in fighting environmental issues .

Moreover, these issues will not only save the environment but also save the life and ecosystem of the planet. Some of the ways of minimizing environmental threat are discussed below:

Reforestation – It will not only help in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem but also help in restoring the natural cycles that work with it. Also, it will help in recharge of groundwater, maintaining the monsoon cycle , decreasing the number of carbons from the air, and many more.

The 3 R’s principle – For contributing to the environment one should have to use the 3 R’s principle that is Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Moreover, it helps the environment in a lot of ways.

To conclude, we can say that humans are a major source of environmental issues. Likewise, our activities are the major reason that the level of harmful gases and pollutants have increased in the environment. But now the humans have taken this problem seriously and now working to eradicate it. Above all, if all humans contribute equally to the environment then this issue can be fight backed. The natural balance can once again be restored.

FAQs about Environmental Issue

Q.1 Name the major environmental issues. A.1 The major environmental issues are pollution, environmental degradation, resource depletion, and climate change. Besides, there are several other environmental issues that also need attention.

Q.2 What is the cause of environmental change? A.2 Human activities are the main cause of environmental change. Moreover, due to our activities, the amount of greenhouse gases has rapidly increased over the past few decades.

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Harvard students share thoughts, fears, plans to meet environmental challenges

For many, thinking about the world’s environmental future brings concern, even outright alarm.

There have been, after all, decades of increasingly strident warnings by experts and growing, ever-more-obvious signs of the Earth’s shifting climate. Couple this with a perception that past actions to address the problem have been tantamount to baby steps made by a generation of leaders who are still arguing about what to do, and even whether there really is a problem.

It’s no surprise, then, that the next generation of global environmental leaders are preparing for their chance to begin work on the problem in government, business, public health, engineering, and other fields with a real sense of mission and urgency.

The Gazette spoke to students engaged in environmental action in a variety of ways on campus to get their views of the problem today and thoughts on how their activities and work may help us meet the challenge.

Eric Fell and Eliza Spear

Fell is president and Spear is vice president of Harvard Energy Journal Club. Fell is a graduate student at the Harvard John H. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Spear is a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.

FELL:   For the past three centuries, fossil fuels have enabled massive growth of our civilization to where we are today. But it is now time for a new generation of cleaner-energy technologies to fuel the next chapter of humanity’s story. We’re not too late to solve this environmental challenge, but we definitely shouldn’t procrastinate as much as we have been. I don’t worry about if we’ll get it done, it’s the when. Our survival depends on it. At Harvard, I’ve been interested in the energy-storage problem and have been focusing on developing a grid-scale solution utilizing flow batteries based on organic molecules in the lab of Mike Aziz . We’ll need significant deployment of batteries to enable massive penetration of renewables into the electrical grid.

SPEAR: Processes leading to greenhouse-gas emissions are so deeply entrenched in our way of life that change continues to be incredibly slow. We need to be making dramatic structural changes, and we should all be very worried about that. In the Harvard Energy Journal Club, our focus is energy, so we strive to learn as much as we can about the diverse options for clean-energy generation in various sectors. A really important aspect of that is understanding how much of an impact those technologies, like solar, hydro, and wind, can really have on reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. It’s not always as much as you’d like to believe, and there are still a lot of technical and policy challenges to overcome.

I can’t imagine working on anything else, but the question of what I’ll be working on specifically is on my mind a lot. The photovoltaics field is at a really exciting point where a new technology is just starting to break out onto the market, so there are a lot of opportunities for optimization in terms of performance, safety, and environmental impact. That’s what I’m working on now [in Roy Gordon’s lab ] and I’m really enjoying it. I’ll definitely be in the renewable-energy technology realm. The specifics will depend on where I see the greatest opportunity to make an impact.

Photo (left) courtesy of Kritika Kharbanda; photo by Tiera Satchebell.

Kritika Kharbanda ’23 and Laier-Rayshon Smith ’21

Kharbanda is with the Harvard Student Climate Change Conference, Harvard Circular Economy Symposium. Smith is a member of Climate Leaders Program for Professional Students at Harvard. Both are students at Harvard Graduate School of Design.

KHARBANDA: I come from a country where the most pressing issues are, and will be for a long time, poverty, food shortage, and unemployment born out of corruption, illiteracy, and rapid gentrification. India was the seventh-most-affected country by climate change in 2019. With two-thirds of the population living in rural areas with no access to electricity, even the notion of climate change is unimaginable.

I strongly believe that the answer lies in the conjugality of research and industry. In my field, achieving circularity in the building material processes is the burning concern. The building industry currently contributes to 40 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, of which 38 percent is contributed by the embedded or embodied energy used for the manufacturing of materials. A part of the Harvard i-lab, I am a co-founder of Cardinal LCA, an early stage life-cycle assessment tool that helps architects and designers visualize this embedded energy in building materials, saving up to 46 percent of the energy from the current workflow. This venture has a strong foundation as a research project for a seminar class I took at the GSD in fall 2020, instructed by Jonathan Grinham. I am currently working as a sustainability engineer at Henning Larsen architects in Copenhagen while on a leave of absence from GSD. In the decades to come, I aspire to continue working on the embodied carbon aspect of the building industry. Devising an avant garde strategy to record the embedded carbon is the key. In the end, whose carbon is it, anyway?

SMITH: The biggest challenges are areas where the threat of climate change intersects with environmental justice. It is important that we ensure that climate-change mitigation and adaptation strategies are equitable, whether it is sea-level rise or the increase in urban heat islands. We should seek to address the threats faced by the most vulnerable communities — the communities least able to resolve the threat themselves. These often tend to be low-income communities and communities of color that for decades have been burdened with bearing the brunt of environmental health hazards.

During my time at Harvard, I have come to understand how urban planning and design can seek to address this challenge. Planners and designers can develop strategies to prioritize communities that are facing a significant climate-change risk, but because of other structural injustices may not be able to access the resources to mitigate the risk. I also learned about climate gentrification: a phenomenon in which people in wealthier communities move to areas with lower risks of climate-change threats that are/were previously lower-income communities. I expect to work on many of these issues, as many are connected and are threats to communities across the country. From disinvestment and economic extraction to the struggle to find quality affordable housing, these injustices allow for significant disparities in life outcomes and dealing with risk.

Lucy Shaw ’21

Shaw is co-president of the HBS Energy and Environment Club. She is a joint-degree student at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School.

SHAW: I want to see a world where climate change is averted and the environment preserved, without it being at the expense of the development and prosperity of lower-income countries. We have, or are on the cusp of having, many of the financial and technological tools we need to reduce emissions and environmental damage from a wide array of industries, such as agriculture, energy, and transport. The challenge I am most worried about is how we balance economic growth and opportunity with reducing humanity’s environmental impact and share this burden equitably across countries.

I came to Harvard as a joint degree student at the Kennedy School and Business School to be able to see this challenge from two different angles. In my policy-oriented classes, we learned about the opportunities and challenges of global coordination among national governments — the difficulty in enforcing climate agreements, and in allocating and agreeing on who bears the responsibility and the costs of change, but also the huge potential that an international framework with nationally binding laws on environmental protection and carbon-emission reduction could have on changing the behavior of people and businesses. In my business-oriented classes, we learned about the power of business to create change, if there is a driven leadership. We also learned that people and businesses respond to incentives, and the importance of reducing cost of technologies or increasing the cost of not switching to more sustainable technologies — for example, through a tax. After graduate school, I plan to join a leading private equity investor in their growing infrastructure team, which will equip me with tools to understand what makes a good investment in infrastructure and what are the opportunities for reducing the environmental impact of infrastructure while enhancing its value. I hope to one day be involved in shaping environmental and development policy, whether it is on a national or international level.

Photo (left) by Tabitha Soren.

Quinn Lewis ’23 and Suhaas Bhat ’24

Both are with the Student Climate Change Conference, Harvard College.

LEWIS:   When I was a kid, I imagined being an adult as a future with a stable house, a fun job, and happy kids. That future didn’t include wildfires that obscured the sun for months, global water shortages, or billionaires escaping to terrariums on Mars. The threats are so great and so assured by inaction that it’s very hard for me to justify doing anything else with my time and attention because very little will matter if there’s 1 billion climate refugees and significant portions of the continental United States become uninhabitable for human life.

For whatever reason, I still feel a great deal of hope around giving it a shot. I can’t imagine not working to mitigate the climate crisis. Media and journalism will play a huge role in raising awareness, as they generate public pressure that can sway those in power. Another route for change is to cut directly to those in power and try to convince them of the urgency of the situation. Given that I am 22 years old, it is much easier to raise public awareness or work in media and journalism than it is to sit down with some of the most powerful people on the planet, who tend to be rather busy. At school, I’m on a team that runs the University-wide Student Climate Change Conference at Harvard, which is a platform for speakers from diverse backgrounds to discuss the climate crisis and ways students and educators can take immediate and effective action. Also, I write about and research challenges and solutions to the climate crisis through the lenses of geopolitics and the global economy, both as a student at the College and as a case writer at the Harvard Business School. Outside of Harvard, I have worked in investigative journalism and at Crooked Media, as well as on political campaigns to indirectly and directly drive urgency around the climate crisis.

BHAT:   The failure to act on climate change in the last few decades, despite mountains of scientific evidence, is a consequence of political and institutional cowardice. Fossil fuel companies have obfuscated, misinformed, and lobbied for decades, and governments have failed to act in the best interests of their citizens. Of course, the fight against climate change is complex and multidimensional, requiring scientific, technical, and entrepreneurial expertise, but it will ultimately require systemic change to allow these talents to shine.

At Harvard, my work on climate has been focused on running the Harvard Student Climate Conference, as well as organizing for Fossil Fuel Divest Harvard. My hope for the Climate Conference is to provide students access to speakers who have dedicated their careers to all aspects of the fight against climate change, so that students interested in working on climate have more direction and inspiration for what to do with their careers. We’ve featured Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, members of the Sunrise Movement, and the CEO of Impossible Foods as some examples of inspiring and impactful people who are working against climate change today.

I organize for FFDH because I believe that serious institutional change is necessary for solving the climate crisis and also because of a sort of patriotism I have for Harvard. I deeply respect and care for this institution, and genuinely believe it is an incredible force for good in the world. At the same time, I believe Harvard has a moral duty to stand against the corporations whose misdeeds and falsification of science have enabled the climate crisis.

Libby Dimenstein ’22

Dimenstein is co-president of Harvard Law School Environmental Law Society.

DIMENSTEIN:   Climate change is the one truly existential threat that my generation has had to face. What’s most scary is that we know it’s happening. We know how bad it will be; we know people are already dying from it; and we still have done so little relative to the magnitude of the problem. I also worry that people don’t see climate change as an “everyone problem,” and more as a problem for people who have the time and money to worry about it, when in reality it will harm people who are already disadvantaged the most.

I want to recognize Professor Wendy Jacobs, who recently passed away. Wendy founded HLS’s fantastic Environmental Law and Policy Clinic, and she also created an interdisciplinary class called the Climate Solutions Living Lab. In the lab, groups of students drawn from throughout the University would conduct real-world projects to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The class was hard, because actually reducing greenhouse gases is hard, but it taught us about the work that needs to be done. This summer I’m interning with the Environmental Defense Fund’s U.S. Clean Air Team, and I anticipate a lot of my work will revolve around the climate. After graduating, I’m hoping to do environmental litigation, either with a governmental division or a nonprofit, but I also have an interest in policy work: Impact litigation is fascinating and important, but what we need most is sweeping policy change.

Candice Chen ’22 and Noah Secondo ’22

Chen and Secondo are co-directors of the Harvard Environmental Action Committee. Both attend Harvard College.

SECONDO: The environment is fundamental to rural Americans’ identity, but they do not believe — as much as urban Americans — that the government can solve environmental problems. Without the whole country mobilized and enthusiastic, from New Hampshire to Nebraska, we will fail to confront the climate crisis. I have no doubt that we can solve this problem. To rebuild trust between the U.S. government and rural communities, federal departments and agencies need to speak with rural stakeholders, partner with state and local leaders, and foreground rural voices. Through the Harvard College Democrats and the Environmental Action Committee, I have contributed to local advocacy efforts and creative projects, including an environmental art publication.

I hope to work in government to keep the policy development and implementation processes receptive to rural perspectives, including in the environmental arena. At every level of government, if we work with each other in good faith, we will tackle the climate crisis and be better for it.

CHEN: I’m passionate about promoting more sustainable, plant-based diets. As individual consumers, we have very little control over the actions of the largest emitters, massive corporations, but we can all collectively make dietary decisions that can avoid a lot of environmental degradation. Our food system is currently very wasteful, and our overreliance on animal agriculture devastates natural ecosystems, produces lots of potent greenhouse gases, and creates many human health hazards from poor animal-waste disposal. I feel like the climate conversation is often focused around the clean energy transition, and while it is certainly the largest component of how we can avoid the worst effects of global warming, the dietary conversation is too often overlooked. A more sustainable future also requires us to rethink agriculture, and especially what types of agriculture our government subsidizes. In the coming years, I hope that more will consider the outsized environmental impact of animal agriculture and will consider making more plant-based food swaps.

To raise awareness of the environmental benefits of adopting a more plant-based diet, I’ve been involved with running a campaign through the Environmental Action Committee called Veguary. Veguary encourages participants to try going vegetarian or vegan for the month of February, and participants receive estimates for how much their carbon/water/land use footprints have changed based on their pledged dietary changes for the month.

Photo (left) courtesy of Cristina Su Liu.

Cristina Su Liu ’22 and James Healy ’21

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Liu is with Harvard Climate Leaders Program for Professional Students. Healy is with the Harvard Student Climate Change Conference. Both are students at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

HEALY:   As a public health student I see so many environmental challenges, be it the 90 percent of the world who breathe unhealthy air, or the disproportionate effects of extreme heat on communities of color, or the environmental disruptions to the natural world and the zoonotic disease that humans are increasingly being exposed to. But the central commonality at the heart of all these crises is the climate crisis. Climate change, from the greenhouse-gas emissions to the physical heating of the Earth, is worsening all of these environmental crises. That’s why I call the climate crisis the great exacerbator. While we will all feel the effects of climate change, it will not be felt equally. Whether it’s racial inequity or wealth inequality, the climate crisis is widening these already gaping divides.

Solutions may have to be outside of our current road maps for confronting crises. I have seen the success of individual efforts and private innovation in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, from individuals wearing masks and social distancing to the huge advances in vaccine development. But for climate change, individual efforts and innovation won’t be enough. I would be in favor of policy reform and coalition-building between new actors. As an overseer of the Harvard Student Climate Change Conference and the Harvard Climate Leaders Program, I’ve aimed to help mobilize Harvard’s diverse community to tackle climate change. I am also researching how climate change makes U.S. temperatures more variable, and how that’s reducing the life expectancies of Medicare recipients. The goal of this research, with Professor Joel Schwartz, will be to understand the effects of climate change on vulnerable communities. I certainly hope to expand on these themes in my future work.

SU LIU:  A climate solution will need to be a joint effort from the whole society, not just people inside the environmental or climate circles. In addition to cross-sectoral cooperation, solving climate change will require much stronger international cooperation so that technologies, projects, and resources can be developed and shared globally. As a Chinese-Brazilian student currently studying in the United States, I find it very valuable to learn about the climate challenges and solutions of each of these countries, and how these can or cannot be applied in other settings. China-U.S. relations are tense right now, but I hope that climate talks can still go ahead since we have much to learn from each other.

Personally, as a student in environmental health at [the Harvard Chan School], I feel that my contribution to addressing this challenge until now has been in doing research, learning more about the health impacts of climate change, and most importantly, learning how to communicate climate issues to people outside climate circles. Every week there are several climate-change events at Harvard, where a different perspective on climate change is addressed. It has been very inspiring for me, and I feel that I could learn about climate change in a more holistic way.

Recently, I started an internship at FXB Village, where I am working on developing and integrating climate resilience indicators into their poverty-alleviation program in rural communities in Puebla, Mexico. It has been very rewarding to introduce climate-change and climate-resilience topics to people working on poverty alleviation and see how everything is interconnected. When we address climate resilience, we are also addressing access to basic services, livelihoods, health, equity, and quality of life in general. This is where climate justice is addressed, and that is a very powerful idea.

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Human Impacts on the Environment

Humans impact the physical environment in many ways: overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. Changes like these have triggered climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality, and undrinkable water. These negative impacts can affect human behavior and can prompt mass migrations or battles over clean water.

Help your students understand the impact humans have on the physical environment with these classroom resources.

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The Climate Crisis – A Race We Can Win

Climate change is the defining crisis of our time and it is happening even more quickly than we feared. But we are far from powerless in the face of this global threat. As Secretary-General António Guterres pointed out in September, “the climate emergency is a race we are losing, but it is a race we can win”.

No corner of the globe is immune from the devastating consequences of climate change. Rising temperatures are fueling environmental degradation, natural disasters, weather extremes, food and water insecurity, economic disruption, conflict, and terrorism. Sea levels are rising, the Arctic is melting, coral reefs are dying, oceans are acidifying, and forests are burning. It is clear that business as usual is not good enough. As the infinite cost of climate change reaches irreversible highs, now is the time for bold collective action.

GLOBAL TEMPERATURES ARE RISING

Billions of tons of CO2 are released into the atmosphere every year as a result of coal, oil, and gas production. Human activity is producing greenhouse gas emissions at a record high , with no signs of slowing down. According to a ten-year summary of UNEP Emission Gap reports, we are on track to maintain a “business as usual” trajectory.

The last four years were the four hottest on record. According to a September 2019 World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report, we are at least one degree Celsius above preindustrial levels and close to what scientists warn would be “an unacceptable risk”. The 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change calls for holding eventual warming “well below” two degrees Celsius, and for the pursuit of efforts to limit the increase even further, to 1.5 degrees. But if we don’t slow global emissions, temperatures could rise to above three degrees Celsius by 2100 , causing further irreversible damage to our ecosystems.

Glaciers and ice sheets in polar and mountain regions are already melting faster than ever, causing sea levels to rise. Almost two-thirds of the world’s cities   with populations of over five million are located in areas at risk of sea level rise and almost 40 per cent of the world’s population live within 100 km of a coast. If no action is taken, entire districts of New York, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, Osaka, Rio de Janeiro, and many other cities could find themselves underwater within our lifetimes , displacing millions of people.

FOOD AND WATER INSECURITY

Global warming impacts everyone’s food and water security. Climate change is a direct cause of soil degradation, which limits the amount of carbon the earth is able to contain. Some 500 million people today live in areas affected by erosion, while up to 30 per cent of food is lost or wasted as a result. Meanwhile, climate change limits the availability and quality of water for drinking and agriculture.

In many regions, crops that have thrived for centuries are struggling to survive, making food security more precarious. Such impacts tend to fall primarily on the poor and vulnerable. Global warming is likely to make economic output between the world’s richest and poorest countries grow wider .

NEW EXTREMES

Disasters linked to climate and weather extremes have always been part of our Earth’s system. But they are becoming more frequent and intense as the world warms. No continent is left untouched, with heatwaves, droughts, typhoons, and hurricanes causing mass destruction around the world. 90 per cent   of disasters are now classed as weather- and climate-related, costing the world economy 520 billion USD each year , while 26 million people are pushed into poverty as a result.

A CATALYST FOR CONFLICT

Climate change is a major threat to international peace and security. The effects of climate change heighten competition for resources such as land, food, and water, fueling socioeconomic tensions and, increasingly often, leading to mass displacement .

Climate is a risk multiplier   that makes worse already existing challenges. Droughts in Africa and Latin America directly feed into political unrest and violence. The World Bank estimates that, in the absence of action, more than 140 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and South Asia will be forced to migrate within their regions by 2050.

A PATH FORWARD

While science tells us that climate change is irrefutable, it also tells us that it is not too late to stem the tide. This will require fundamental transformations in all aspects of society — how we grow food, use land, transport goods, and power our economies.

While technology has contributed to climate change, new and efficient technologies can help us reduce net emissions and create a cleaner world. Readily-available technological solutions already exist for more than 70 per cent   of today’s emissions. In many places renewable energy is now the cheapest energy source and electric cars are poised to become mainstream.

In the meantime, nature-based solutions provide ‘breathing room’ while we tackle the decarbonization of our economy. These solutions allow us to mitigate a portion of our carbon footprint while also supporting vital ecosystem services, biodiversity, access to fresh water, improved livelihoods, healthy diets, and food security. Nature-based solutions include improved agricultural practices, land restoration, conservation, and the greening of food supply chains.

Scalable new technologies and nature-based solutions will enable us all to leapfrog to a cleaner, more resilient world. If governments, businesses, civil society, youth, and academia work together, we can create a green future where suffering is diminished, justice is upheld, and harmony is restored between people and planet.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Sustainable Development Goals

Climate Action Summit 2019

UNFCCC | The Paris Agreement

WMO |Global Climate in 2015-2019

UNDP | Global Outlook Report 2019

UNCC | Climate Action and Support Trends 2019

IPCC | Climate Change and Land 2019

UNEP | Global Environment Outlook 2019

UNEP | Emission Gap Report 2019

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15 Biggest Environmental Problems of 2024

While the climate crisis has many factors that play a role in the exacerbation of the environment, some warrant more attention than others. Here are some of the biggest environmental problems of our lifetime, from deforestation and biodiversity loss to food waste and fast fashion.

1. Global Warming From Fossil Fuels

2023 was the hottest year on record , with global average temperatures at 1.46C above pre-industrial levels and 0.13C higher than the eleven-month average for 2016, currently the warmest calendar year on record. The year was marked by six record-breaking months and two record-breaking seasons.

What’s more, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have never been so high . After being consistently around 280 parts per million (ppm) for almost 6,000 years of human civilisation, CO2 levels in the atmosphere are now well above 420 ppm, more than double what they were before the onset of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Rick Spinrad, the steady annual increase is a “direct result of human activity,” mainly from the burning of fossil fuels for transportation and electricity generation but also from cement manufacturing, deforestation , and  agriculture .

This is undoubtedly one of the biggest environmental problems of our lifetime: as greenhouse gas emissions blanket the Earth, they trap the sun’s heat, leading to global warming.

Increased emissions of greenhouse gases have led to a rapid and steady increase in global temperatures, which in turn is  causing catastrophic events all over the world – from Australia and the US experiencing some of the most devastating bushfire seasons ever recorded, locusts swarming across parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, decimating crops, and a heatwave in Antarctica that saw temperatures rise above 20C for the first time. S cientists are constantly warning that the planet has crossed a series of tipping points that could have catastrophic consequences, such as  advancing permafrost melt in Arctic regions, the Greenland ice sheet melting at an unprecedented rate, accelerating sixth mass extinction , and increasing deforestation in the Amazon rainforest , just to name a few.

The climate crisis is causing tropical storms and other weather events such as hurricanes, heatwaves and flooding to be more intense and frequent than seen before. However, even if all greenhouse gas emissions were halted immediately, global temperatures would continue to rise in the coming years. That is why it is absolutely imperative that we start now to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, invest in renewable energy sources, and phase our fossil fuels as fast as possible.

You might also like: The Tipping Points of Climate Change: How Will Our World Change?

2. Poor Governance

According to economists like Nicholas Stern, the climate crisis is a result of multiple market failures .

Economists and environmentalists have urged policymakers for years to increase the price of activities that emit greenhouse gases (one of our biggest environmental problems), the lack of which constitutes the largest market failure, for example through carbon taxes, which will stimulate innovations in low-carbon technologies.

To cut emissions quickly and effectively enough, governments must not only massively increase funding for green innovation to bring down the costs of low-carbon energy sources, but they also need to adopt a range of other policies that address each of the other market failures. 

A national carbon tax is currently implemented in 27 countries around the world , including various countries in the EU, Canada, Singapore, Japan, Ukraine and Argentina. However, according to the 2019 OECD Tax Energy Use report, current tax structures are not adequately aligned with the pollution profile of energy sources. For example, the OECD suggests that carbon taxes are not harsh enough on coal production, although it has proved to be effective for the electricity industry. A carbon tax has been effectively implemented in Sweden ; the carbon tax is U$127 per tonne and has reduced emissions by 25% since 1995, while its economy has expanded 75% in the same time period. 

Further, organisations such as the United Nations are not fit to deal with the climate crisis: it was assembled to prevent another world war and is not fit for purpose. Anyway, members of the UN are not mandated to comply with any suggestions or recommendations made by the organisation. For example, the Paris Agreement , a historic deal within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), says that countries need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly so that global temperature rise is below 2C by 2100, and ideally under 1.5C. But signing on to it is voluntary, and there are no real repercussions for non-compliance. Further, the issue of equity remains a contentious issue whereby developing countries are allowed to emit more in order to develop to the point where they can develop technologies to emit less, and it allows some countries, such as China, to exploit this. 

3. Food Waste

A third of the food intended for human consumption – around 1.3 billion tons – is wasted or lost. This is enough to feed 3 billion people. Food waste and loss account for approximately one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions annually ; if it was a country, food waste would be the third-largest emitter  of greenhouse gases, behind China and the US. 

Food waste and loss occurs at different stages in developing and developed countries; in developing countries, 40% of food waste occurs at the post-harvest and processing levels, while in developed countries, 40% of food waste occurs at the retail and consumer levels. 

At the retail level, a shocking amount of food is wasted because of aesthetic reasons; in fact, in the US, more than 50% of all produce thrown away in the US is done so because it is deemed to be “too ugly” to be sold to consumers- this amounts to about 60 million tons of fruits and vegetables. This leads to food insecurity , another one of the biggest environmental problems on the list. 

You might also like: How Does Food Waste Affect the Environment?

4. Biodiversity Loss

The past 50 years have seen a rapid growth of human consumption, population, global trade and urbanisation, resulting in humanity using more of the Earth’s resources than it can replenish naturally. 

A 2020 WWF report found that the population sizes of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians have experienced a decline of an average of 68% between 1970 and 2016. The report attributes this biodiversity loss to a variety of factors, but mainly land-use change, particularly the conversion of habitats, like forests, grasslands and mangroves, into agricultural systems. Animals such as pangolins, sharks and seahorses are significantly affected by the illegal wildlife trade, and pangolins are critically endangered because of it. 

More broadly, a recent analysis has found that the sixth mass extinction of wildlife on Earth is accelerating. More than 500 species of land animals are on the brink of extinction and are likely to be lost within 20 years; the same number were lost over the whole of the last century. The scientists say that without the human destruction of nature, this rate of loss would have taken thousands of years. 

In Antarctica, climate change-triggered melting of sea ice is taking a heavy toll on emperor penguins and could wipe out entire populations by as early as 2100 , according to 2023 research.

You might also like: The Remarkable Benefits of Biodiversity

5. Plastic Pollution

In 1950, the world produced more than 2 million tons of plastic per year . By 2015, this annual production swelled to 419 million tons and exacerbating plastic waste in the environment. 

A report by science journal, Nature, determined that currently, roughly 14 million tons of plastic make their way into the oceans every year, harming wildlife habitats and the animals that live in them. The research found that if no action is taken, the plastic crisis will grow to 29 million metric tons per year by 2040. If we include microplastics into this, the cumulative amount of plastic in the ocean could reach 600 million tons by 2040.

Shockingly, National Geographic found that 91% of all plastic that has ever been made is not recycled, representing not only one of the biggest environmental problems of our lifetime, but another massive market failure. Considering that plastic takes 400 years to decompose, it will be many generations until it ceases to exist. There’s no telling what the irreversible effects of plastic pollution will have on the environment in the long run. 

You might also like: 8 Shocking Plastic Pollution Statistics to Know About

6. Deforestation

Every hour, forests the size of 300 football fields are cut down. By the year 2030, the planet might have only 10% of its forests; if deforestation isn’t stopped, they could all be gone in less than 100 years. 

The three countries experiencing the highest levels of deforestation are Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia. The Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest – spanning 6.9 million square kilometres (2.72 million square miles) and covering around 40% of the South American continent – is also one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems and is home to about three million species of plants and animals . Despite efforts to protect forest land, legal deforestation is still rampant, and about one-third of global tropical deforestation occurs in Brazil’s Amazon forest, amounting to 1.5 million hectares each year . 

Agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, another one of the biggest environmental problems appearing on this list. Land is cleared to raise livestock or to plant other crops that are sold, such as sugar cane and palm oil . Besides for carbon sequestration, forests help to prevent soil erosion, because the tree roots bind the soil and prevent it from washing away, which also prevents landslides. 

You might also like: 10 Deforestation Facts You Should Know About

7. Air Pollution 

One of the biggest environmental problems today is outdoor air pollution .

Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that an estimated 4.2 to 7 million people die from air pollution worldwide every year and that nine out of 10 people breathe air that contains high levels of pollutants. In Africa, 258,000 people died as a result of outdoor air pollution in 2017, up from 164,000 in 1990, according to UNICEF . Causes of air pollution mostly comes from industrial sources and motor vehicles, as well as emissions from burning biomass and poor air quality due to dust storms. 

According to a 2023 study, air pollution in South Asia – one of the most polluted areas in the world – cuts life expectancy by about 5 years . The study blames a series of factors, including a lack of adequate infrastructure and funding for the high levels of pollution in some countries. Most countries in Asia and Africa, which together contribute about 92.7% of life years lost globally due to air pollution, lack key air quality standards needed to develop adequate policies. Moreover, just 6.8% and 3.7% of governments in the two continents, respectively, provide their citizens with fully open-air quality data.

In Europe, a recent report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) showed that more than half a million people living in the European Union died from health issues directly linked to toxic pollutants exposure in 2021.

More on the topic: Less Than 1% of Global Land Area Has Safe Air Pollution Levels: Study

8. Melting Ice Caps and Sea Level Rise

The climate crisis is warming the Arctic more than twice as fast as anywhere else on the planet. Today, sea levels are rising more than twice as quickly as they did for most of the 20th century as a result of increasing temperatures on Earth. Seas are now rising an average of 3.2 mm per year globally and they will continue to grow up to about 0.7 metres by the end of this century. In the Arctic, the Greenland Ice Sheet poses the greatest risk for sea levels because melting land ice is the main cause of rising sea levels.

Representing arguably the biggest of the environmental problems, this is made all the more concerning considering that last year’s summer triggered the loss of 60 billion tons of ice from Greenland, enough to raise global sea levels by 2.2mm in just two months . According to satellite data, the Greenland ice sheet lost a record amount of ice in 2019: an average of a million tons per minute throughout the year, one of the biggest environmental problems that has cascading effects. If the entire Greenland ice sheet melts, sea level would rise by six metres .

Meanwhile, the Antarctic continent contributes about 1 millimetre per year to sea level rise, which is one-third of the annual global increase. According to 2023 data, the continent has lost approximately 7.5 trillion tons of ice since 1997 . Additionally, the last fully intact ice shelf in Canada in the Arctic recently collapsed, having lost about 80 square kilometres – or 40% – of its area over a two-day period in late July, according to the Canadian Ice Service .  

Sea level rise will have a devastating impact on those living in coastal regions: according to research and advocacy group Climate Central, sea level rise this century could flood coastal areas that are now home to 340 million to 480 million people , forcing them to migrate to safer areas and contributing to overpopulation and strain of resources in the areas they migrate to. Bangkok (Thailand), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Manila (Philippines), and Dubai (United Arab Emirates) are among the cities most at risk of sea level rise and flooding.

You might also like: Two-Thirds of World’s Glaciers Set to Disappear by 2100 Under Current Global Warming Scenario

9. Ocean Acidification

Global temperature rise has not only affected the surface, but it is the main cause of ocean acidification . Our oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide that is released into the Earth’s atmosphere. As higher concentrations of carbon emissions are released thanks to human activities such as burning fossil fuels as well as effects of global climate change such as increased rates of wildfires, so do the amount of carbon dioxide that is absorbed back into the sea. 

The smallest change in the pH scale can have a significant impact on the acidity of the ocean. Ocean acidification has devastating impacts on marine ecosystems and species, its food webs, and provoke irreversible changes in habitat quality . Once pH levels reach too low, marine organisms such as oysters, their shells and skeleton could even start to dissolve. 

However, one of the biggest environmental problems from ocean acidification is coral bleaching and subsequent coral reef loss . This is a phenomenon that occurs when rising ocean temperatures disrupt the symbiotic relationship between the reefs and algae that lives within it, driving away the algae and causing coral reefs to lose their natural vibrant colours. Some scientists have estimated coral reefs are at risk of being completely wiped by 2050. Higher acidity in the ocean would obstruct coral reef systems’ ability to rebuild their exoskeletons and recover from these coral bleaching events. 

Some studies have also found that ocean acidification can be linked as one of the effects of plastic pollution in the ocean. The accumulating bacteria and microorganisms derived from plastic garbage dumped in the ocean to damage marine ecosystems and contribute towards coral bleaching.

10. Agriculture 

Studies have shown that the global food system is responsible for up to one-third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, of which 30% comes from livestock and fisheries. Crop production releases greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide through the use of fertilisers . 

60% of the world’s agricultural area is dedicated to cattle ranching , although it only makes up 24% of global meat consumption. 

Agriculture not only covers a vast amount of land, but it also consumes a vast amount of freshwater, another one of the biggest environmental problems on this list. While arable lands and grazing pastures cover one-third of Earth’s land surfaces , they consume three-quarters of the world’s limited freshwater resources.

Scientists and environmentalists have continuously warned that we need to rethink our current food system; switching to a more plant-based diet would dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of the conventional agriculture industry. 

You might also like: The Future of Farming: Can We Feed the World Without Destroying It?

11. Food and Water Insecurity

Rising temperatures and unsustainable farming practices have resulted in increasing water and food insecurity.

Globally, more than 68 billion tonnes of top-soil is eroded every year at a rate 100 times faster than it can naturally be replenished. Laden with biocides and fertiliser, the soil ends up in waterways where it contaminates drinking water and protected areas downstream. 

Furthermore, exposed and lifeless soil is more vulnerable to wind and water erosion due to lack of root and mycelium systems that hold it together. A key contributor to soil erosion is over-tilling: although it increases productivity in the short-term by mixing in surface nutrients (e.g. fertiliser), tilling is physically destructive to the soil’s structure and in the long-term leads to soil compaction, loss of fertility and surface crust formation that worsens topsoil erosion.

With the global population expected to reach 9 billion people by mid-century, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) projects that global food demand may increase by 70% by 2050 . Around the world, more than 820 million people do not get enough to eat. 

The UN secretary-general António Guterres says, “Unless immediate action is taken, it is increasingly clear that there is an impending global food security emergency that could have long term impacts on hundreds of millions of adults and children.” He urged for countries to rethink their food systems and encouraged more sustainable farming practices. 

In terms of water security, only 3% of the world’s water is freshwater , and two-thirds of that is tucked away in frozen glaciers or otherwise unavailable for our use. As a result, some 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water, and a total of 2.7 billion find water scarce for at least one month of the year. By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages. 

You might also like: Global Food Security: Why It Matters in 2023

12. Fast Fashion and Textile Waste

The global demand for fashion and clothing has risen at an unprecedented rate that the fashion industry now accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions, becoming one of the biggest environmental problems of our time. Fashion alone produces more greenhouse gas emissions than both the aviation and shipping sectors combined , and nearly 20% of global wastewater, or around 93 billion cubic metres from textile dyeing, according to the UN Environment Programme.

What’s more, the world at least generated an estimated 92 million tonnes of textiles waste every year and that number is expected to soar up to 134 million tonnes a year by 2030. Discarded clothing and textile waste, most of which is non-biodegradable, ends up in landfills, while microplastics from clothing materials such as polyester, nylon, polyamide, acrylic and other synthetic materials, is leeched into soil and nearby water sources. Monumental amounts of clothing textile are also dumped in less developed countries as seen with Chile’s Atacama , the driest desert in the world, where at least 39,000 tonnes of textile waste from other nations are left there to rot.

This rapidly growing issue is only exacerbated by the ever-expanding fast fashion business model, in which companies relies on cheap and speedy production of low quality clothing to meet the latest and newest trends. While the United Nations Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action sees signatory fashion and textile companies to commit to achieving net zero emission by 2050, a majority of businesses around the world have yet to address their roles in climate change.

While these are some of the biggest environmental problems plaguing our planet, there are many more that have not been mentioned, including overfishing, urban sprawl, toxic superfund sites and land use changes. While there are many facets that need to be considered in formulating a response to the crisis, they must be coordinated, practical and far-reaching enough to make enough of a difference. 

You might also like: Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact

13. Overfishing

Over three billion people around the world rely on fish as their primary source of protein. About 12% of the world relies upon fisheries in some form or another, with 90% of these being small-scale fishermen – think a small crew in a boat, not a ship, using small nets or even rods and reels and lures not too different from the kind you probably use . Of the 18.9 million fishermen in the world, 90% of them fall under the latter category.

Most people consume approximately twice as much food as they did 50 years ago and there are four times as many people on earth as there were at the close of the 1960s. This is one driver of the 30% of commercially fished waters being classified as being ‘overfished’. This means that the stock of available fishing waters is being depleted faster than it can be replaced.

Overfishing comes with detrimental effects on the environment, including increased algae in the water, destruction of fishing communities, ocean littering as well as extremely high rates of biodiversity loss.

As part of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 14) , the UN and FAO are working towards maintaining the proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels. This, however, requires much stricter regulations of the world’s oceans than the ones already in place. In July 2022, the WTO banned fishing subsidies to reduce global overfishing in a historic deal. Indeed, subsidies for fuel, fishing gear, and building new vessels, only incentivise overfishing and represent thus a huge problem. 

You might also like: 7 Solutions to Overfishing We Need Right Now

14. Cobalt Mining

Cobalt is quickly becoming the defining example of the mineral conundrum at the heart of the renewable energy transition . As a key component of battery materials that power electric vehicles (EVs), cobalt is facing a sustained surge in demand as decarbonisation efforts progress. The  world’s largest cobalt supplier is the Democratic Republic of Congo  (DRC), where it is estimated that up to a fifth of the production is produced through artisanal miners.

Cobalt mining , however, is associated with  dangerous workers’ exploitation and other serious environmental and social issues. The environmental costs of cobalt mining activities are also substantial. Southern regions of the DRC are not only home to cobalt and copper, but also large amounts of uranium. In mining regions, scientists have made note of high radioactivity levels. In addition, mineral mining, similar to other industrial mining efforts, often produces pollution that leaches into neighbouring rivers and water sources. Dust from pulverised rock is known to cause breathing problems for local communities as well.

15. Soil Degradation

Organic matter is a crucial component of soil as it allows it to absorb carbon from the atmosphere. Plants absorb CO2 from the air naturally and effectively through photosynthesis and part of this carbon is stored in the soil as  soil organic carbon (SOC). Healthy soil has a minimum of 3-6% organic matter. However, almost everywhere in the world, the content is much lower than that.

According to the United Nations, about 40% of the planet’s soil is degraded . Soil degradation refers to the loss of organic matter, changes in its structural condition and/or decline in soil fertility and it is often the result of human activities, such as traditional farming practices including the use of toxic chemicals and pollutants. If business as usual continued through 2050, experts project additional degradation of an area almost the size of South America. But there is more to it. If we do not change our reckless practices and step up to preserve soil health, food security for billions of people around the world will be irreversibly compromised, with an estimated 40% less food  expected to be produced in 20 years’ time despite the world’s population projected to reach 9.3 billion people.

Featured image by Earth.Org Photographer Roy Mangersnes

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Environmental Concerns in the Modern World Essay

There are many environmental concerns faced by human race. These concerns are defined as the environmental problems that directly or indirectly affect human beings. There is need therefore to work on these environmental problems with an aim of reducing their impacts. Climate change is one of the major concern facing human beings globally.

Ozone layer depletion and loss of biodiversity have also negatively affected human race thus calling for strategies to combat these environmental issues. Other environmental concerns are in reverence to land degradation, pollution among others. The following discussion is inclusive of the first three concerns.

Ozone layer depletion occurring at the stratosphere which contains the ozone gas, has led to direct ultra-violet rays reaching the earth surface. Oxygen molecules present in the stratosphere absorbs ultraviolet waves which are harmful.

The depletion of ozone layer occurs when the gas is broken down by increased chlorine compounds in the atmosphere which are man-made and also the bromine compounds. The direct reach of ultraviolet (UV) rays to human beings has increased diseases such skin cancer and eye problems.

There has also been an increase in infectious diseases. Ultra violet rays also causes drying up plants which are the major primary source of food to humans (Díez & Dwivedi, 2008). UV rays affect the aquatic life such as fish which are also source of food to human beings.

Climate change is the change in temperatures either by increase or decrease. The increase of temperature which has led to global warming is the major concern facing human beings on climate change.

Anthropogenic activities are however the major cause of climate change on global warming out of increased deforestation by the increasing population, increased release of fossil fuel and the green house gases such as chlorofluorocarbons which increases green house effect.

The further implications to human beings is the increase in sea levels which causes flooding thus loss of human lives, displacements and loss of properties. There is also decrease in water resources due to changes in evaporation thus lowering the agricultural output. Human beings are then faced by food shortages leading to hunger, nutritional diseases, and deaths.

Loss of biodiversity which is the decrease of species in ecosystems is also among the major concern faced by human race. Human beings are the major cause of loss of biodiversity through habitat destruction such as clearing of forest cover, burning of bush which kills the active micro organisms in the soil, and dumping of wastes in water resources which endanger aquatic life.

Biodiversity promotes better lives to human beings such as: ecosystem services through climate stability a role played by trees, soil formation by micro-organisms.

Loss of biodiversity is also inclusive of decrease of biological resources to human like plants which are source of food and medicines. Sociological benefits are also lost as the biodiversity is used by humans for education, recreation, and cultural values (Díez & Dwivedi, 2008).

In conclusion, human beings are the major contributors of the environmental issues which have raised the concerns. There is however natural factors which have lead to environmental concerns but their impact is too minimal compared to those caused by human beings. Human race is therefore faced with the challenge of reducing the environmental issues.

On climate change, there is need to practice reforestation, use electric, solar and wind energy to replace the fossil fuels thus reducing the green house effect. On ozone layer depletion just like climate change, there is need to reduce the release of carbons such as chlorofluorocarbons.

It is also important for humans to protect the existing species like reducing the dumping of untreated waste in water resources and clearing of forest at the same time opting for better farming methods other than burning (Rourke, 2008).

Díez, J., & Dwivedi, P. (2008). Global Environmental Challenges: Perspectives from the South. New York: Broadview Press.

Rourke, J. T. (2008). International Politics on the World Stage. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

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IvyPanda. (2023, October 31). Environmental Concerns in the Modern World. https://ivypanda.com/essays/environmental-concerns/

"Environmental Concerns in the Modern World." IvyPanda , 31 Oct. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/environmental-concerns/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Environmental Concerns in the Modern World'. 31 October.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Environmental Concerns in the Modern World." October 31, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/environmental-concerns/.

1. IvyPanda . "Environmental Concerns in the Modern World." October 31, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/environmental-concerns/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Environmental Concerns in the Modern World." October 31, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/environmental-concerns/.

• Efforts to Alleviate Ozone Depletion
• Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
• Ozone Depletion
• Ozone Hole, Greenhouse Effect and Montreal Protocol
• Ozone Depletion: A Case of Humans Fixing What They Broke
• The Effect of the Ozone Layer on the earth
• Physical Science Explorations: Ozone
• Chemistry and Physics of Stratospheric Ozone
• What we can do to protect Ozone layer
• Ozone Holes, Their Causes, Effects and Reduction
• Water Quality Issues in Developing Countries
• Comparison of Secondary and Tertiary Waste Water Management
• A Discussion of Air Pollution & Related Health Implications on the Community
• Effects of the Columbia River Dams on Salmon Population
• The Effects of the US Army Corp Engineers Lock and Dam System on Recreation

• Ideas for Action
• Join the MAHB
• Why Join the MAHB?
• Current Associates
• Current Nodes
• What is the MAHB?
• Who is the MAHB?
• Acknowledgments

Ecological Challenges in a Global Context

| November 4, 2015 | Leave a Comment

Plenary Session of the 4th International Scientific Congress in Moscow, Russia October 26th – “Globalistics – 2015 | © M.C.Tobias 2015

File: Download

Date of Publication: October 26, 2015

Year of Publication: 2015

Publication City: Moscow, Russia

Author(s): Michael Charles Tobias

Dancing Star Foundation President Michael Charles Tobias’ Keynote Address at the Plenary Session of the 4 th International Scientific Congress in Moscow, Russia, October 26 th – “Globalistics – 2015” – held during the week of the 70 th Anniversary of the United Nations.

Abstract: With “treaty congestion,” compassion fatigue, 35 biological hotspots, and oceanic dead-zones, increasing economic disparities amongst humans, and demographic calculations suggesting a future of ten billion human consumers, what are the remaining options for ecological sanity and stabilization? What are those tenable globalizing forces that can rapidly de-accelerate the biological fall-out from an unprecedented ecological crisis known as the Anthropocene, the Sixth Extinction Spasm in the annals of biology? Dr. Tobias’ essay/presentation examines positive trends, optimistic extrapolations, and a new ethical renaissance at work throughout the world –from Bhutan and Suriname to Russia –that makes the outright rejection and systematic amelioration of this deafening roar of problems indeed a plausible scenario, and one that should provide additional policy guidance at COP 21.

The Conundrum

I want to address, fundamentally how non-governmental individuals who want to be optimistic about the state of the earth – rejecting ecocide in every guise – can best cope with globalization processes too often condemned to the sluggish mechanics of global politics and the seemingly intractable nature of economic injustice; when peace accords can take decades; when old human rivalries drag on, but when species extinctions, human violence, loss of robust genetic populations and destruction of habitat are all escalating out of control. We have absolutely not a minute to waste in figuring this out and combating the tired rhetoric of an ego-driven H. sapiens . Our species seems largely removed experientially from that ancient Jain doctrine that decrees, “Parasparopagraho jivanam,” all life forms are interdependent and must care for each other.

Such pantheistic wisdom is hard-pressed against a syndrome now widely known as “treaty congestion,” [1] well over 500 international environmental treaties agreed to by nations since the formation of the UN, but without requisite or realistic incentives for compliance. In Harvard Professor Lawrence Susskind’s groundbreaking 2008 essay, “Strengthening the Global Environmental Treaty System” he made it clear that “Despite the huge media attention environmental treaties receive, the system of making and implementing them is barely functioning.” Susskind concluded his essay by declaring, “Today, there is no official body with responsibility for improving the global environmental treaty-making system.” [2] As The Guardian’s environment editor, John Vidal, has written, “The trouble is, it’s not in the interests of most governments to change the status quo.” [3]

It is a conundrum to reach beyond fatuous political correctness; to posit a new human nature that both avows and can freely demonstrate unconditional tolerance, love and non-violence in a manner that comports with solutions, but also with ideals.

Challenging Deep Contexts

Since October 1945, when the UN was founded, the human population has soared over 300 percent, from approximately 2.5 billion to nearly 7.4 billion. During that same period the Green Revolution came of age, spawning great faith in technology to feed humanity through more genetic hybrid innovation, more sustainable land tenure and agricultural reforms that all promise greater parity, empowerment of women, environmental justice and sustainable land use. But much of that work has yet to be accomplished, with diminishing returns from increasingly exhausted landscapes, and serious concerns over the extent of human genetic engineering and human rights. Not surprisingly, the gains that were won in the Green Revolution produced as unexpected by-products unprecedented surges, ironically, in human hunger, civil wars throughout the world, the emergence of 35 biological terrestrial hotspots with their concomitant losses of biodiversity, dead zones pock-marking the oceans, the vast collapse of most global fisheries and a rash of endangered species heading towards extinction. At the same time, we can envision a human population of 10 billion or more ungainly largely carnivorous, increasingly nutritionally deficient, water-starved individuals.

Since the mid-1980s, our species has exceeded the appropriation of 40% of all the products of photosynthesis on the planet, or NPP, Net Primary Production. [4] No species has ever so trespassed, throwing into confusion the very nature of globalization, given our one species’ surreal sense of superiority and accompanying dominion by force over every continent.

If we factor in two ecological divining rods of human behavior, namely, the  Ehrlich/Holdren IPAT equation (human impact on the environment is the sum total of our population, times our levels of affluence and levels of technology) and the “Tragedy of the Commons” scenario, first fully articulated in 1968 by the late Professor Garrett Hardin, and later elaborated upon by the Club of Rome computer forecasts, the Limits to Growth [5] ; followed by the three-volume Global 2000 Repor t in 1980 [6] , we see that our situation now is truly tenuous, what I have long termed World War III. [7] If a globalizing force that encompasses human politics is to gain the ethical traction in a lasting sense we are all searching for –one that can actually engage in the urgently required components of a human rapprochement with nature – it will have to recover the dignity assigned to all those Others. By others I refer to the 10 to 100 million other species on earth. That includes single celled organisms and viruses like the 3.5-million-year-old bacterium called Bacillus F found in the deep permafrost of Siberia in 2009, potentially an immortality strain currently being studied by Dr. Anatoli Brouchkov, head of Moscow State University’s geocryology Department. [8] Entomologist Terry Erwin and colleagues from the Smithsonian Institution greatly increased this knowledge base of species numbers at Yasuní National Park in northeastern Ecuador in the early 1990s by extrapolating some 40 to 80 thousand invertebrate species per hectare of rain forest. Two German expeditions in the Weddell Sea of Antarctica in 2002 and 2005 found thousands of other new species under the sea ice. [9]

Despite this exponential increase in the numbers of deciphered life forms cohabiting this planet with humanity, we also recognize the losses our extractive hegemonies have inflicted: more than 50% of life on the planet, including 75% of all large, and 50% of smaller known vertebrates.

The late Juri Lotman, in his famed 1984 essay “On the Semiosphere” [10] paved the way for recognizing a biosphere teeming with abundant signals between species – the basis of interspecies communications. By that insight all our notions of globalization and politics, of law and self-expression, have been deeply challenged to account for a symbiotic biosphere of individuals with looming legal standing. The challenge, the excitement is very real. But the moral onus of its implications lies directly upon our shoulders.

The opportunities to merge global thinking with ecological actions that can and must save life, is acutely pressing, and totally within our grasp.

Consider the decision recently by John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand, to create a Marine Reserve in New Zealand’s Northern waters the size of France. [11] It can happen just like that. The five largest marine reserves in the world, covering millions of square kilometers, consecrated into law within the last 7 years, in France, Britain, Australia and the United States, each mirror these rapid protective mechanisms. These global statements on behalf of Others date back to the oldest passion in human nature: protection, both metaphysical and evolutionary, from a 65,000 year old tiara of dried flowers placed on a human skull at the burial site of Shanidar 4 in the Zagros Mountains, to all mammalian nurturance, even that proclivity in the eusociality of insects.

In London’s Epping Forest, 6,118 acres [12] were preserved by Henry the 2nd during the 12th century. In 1872, Yellowstone, the world’s first National Park came into being. In the early 1900s, President Teddy Roosevelt put into place the preconditions for what today amounts to over 600 million protected acres, nearly 2.5 million square kilometers. [13] By 2008, there were some 120,000 sanctuaries. Today, there are over 208,000 such reserves. It should also be pointed out that just three years after the creation of the United Nations, in 1948 the IUCN was initiated by UNESCO Director General, Julian Huxley. [14] Today, the IUCN, best known, unfortunately, for its Red List of Threatened Species, works with 11,000 scientists, and a membership of over 1,200 governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Ecological Non-Violence                                    

We focus on charismatic megafauna at risk of extinction but ignore chickens, cows, turkeys and pigs, among others. And we know that every cheeseburger represents at least two endangered, indeed, doomed individuals – one who became meat, the other whose life was singularly exploited for the cheese.

Nearly 95% of the human species is still consuming other animals, which means that most people encounter the Other on their dinner plate. Those vast killing fields for which the most prominent weapon is the fork and knife (unlike the dinner plate), are diametrically opposed to our higher intentions, and core values which declare an honest hope of making sure our peace treaties with earth’s other species are lasting ones. If we are sincere, then we must ensure that good science and legislation and the most noble intentions do not, in fact, reflect collective failure through the sheer multiplier effect of individual consumptive laziness ultimately undercutting our chances of being good stewards or passing down an honest message of authenticity to our children, all those accrued values of comprehensive loyalty to the biosphere.

We know, for example, that there are countless global interconnections that link meat production with climate change, methane emissions, and fresh water abstraction. Those ecological stressors are manifest in ways not obviously connected but implicitly so since climate change notoriously responds to no one culture or political etiquette but traverses its own biochemical pathways, enacting fates linked directly to our own.

Hence, those recent images of 250,000 dead antelope-like Saiga on the steppes of Kazakhstan [15] , colony collapses amongst plastic-engorged sea birds, turtles with no nesting sites; infected frogs, bats and bees; or of polar bears starving to death. [16] These are the new iconic emblems and mentors of radical change and globalistic enterprise. Rich and poor alike, we are all the agents of destruction. The time has come to recognize that; to own up to our collective fumbles in order to engender – as the philosopher and systems scientist, Dr. Ervin László characterizes it – not global breakdown but breakthrough.

The Legacy of Hugo Grotius

It was the UN vision to transcend the stubbornness of political thinking with unconstrained global ameliorations. Its organization was meant to foster humanity’s best collective impulses so as to comport with basic ecological truths. For those 70 years the United Nations has truly modeled itself upon the broadest evolutionary principles of non-violence, non-friction, and of perpetual peace, as Immanuel Kant enshrined the phrase in the late 1790s, in the tradition of lawmaker Hugo Grotius (1583-1645) the father of the first international peace treaty in the world. That was, of course, the 1648 Peace of Westphalia ending the Eighty as well as the Thirty Years Wars and based upon his brilliant vision of natural law . Grotius, or Huig de Groot, was a neighbor of two of the greatest Dutch naturalists: the painter Vermeer – whose “View of Delft” has long been prized as the most perfect rendering of a resilient, urban landscape, and the microscopist Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, whose astonishing optic epiphanies paved the way for the application of outstanding earth science to the notion of a biosphere and noosphere, by Vladimir Vernadsky and Eduard Suess.

Westphalia engendered European self-determination and the first notion of balance of power. It also guaranteed Dutch independence. Nineteen years later, the Netherlands acquired Suriname in the Treaty of Breda, with Britain, in turn, obtaining Manhattan. It took more than three hundred years for Suriname to gain her independence from Holland. I’ll tell you why I mention Suriname later on. But what this should tell us is that politics takes time, but global ecological crisis works by a very different and far more urgent series of timings and metrics. We need to understand that. What is particularly prescient and profound about Grotius and Westphalia, is Grotius’ insistence on non-violence, a true precursor of John Ruskin’s book, Unto This Last (1860) and Gandhi’s consequential reading of those four political economic essays. In his seminal work, De jure belli ac pacis  ( On the Law of War and Peace, 1625) Grotius envisioned what today we call the Geneva Convention, and the rule of law, amongst all nations.

Hope Amid Political Tumult

So how do 7.4 billion human natures resolve the essential travails of their presence in a fragile constellation of biomes known as earth?

Anthropologist Margaret Mead said that a few good people can make all the difference. Let me turn to George Kennan’s somewhat legendary “A Modest Proposal,” (1981) which commenced, “Adequate words are lacking to express the full seriousness of our present situation.” [17] Applied ecologically, this is no longer the case. We have words and we have the data. What we continue to lack, however, is a complete philosophical and global method of peace-making – in the manner of a Hugo Grotius – that is sufficiently comprehensive to impede the biological unraveling in this epoch, now known as the Anthropocene, [18] the human induced sixth extinction spasm in the annals of biology. In 1976, the one time American Ambassador to the Soviet Union, Kennan described what he believed to be a basic flaw of U.S. foreign policy – and by implication, foreign policies from nation to nation; namely, public opinion, “a force,” as he enumerated it, “that is inevitably unstable, unserious, subjective, emotional and simplistic.” [19]

If such public opinion becomes policy, as Kennan imagined, then, truly, we have no hope. But, if anything public opinion has revealed enormous currents and undercurrents that are actually altruistic, compassionate, and focused upon sound ecological conflict resolution. There are now tens-of-thousands of NGOs committed to saving the planet. It’s on everyone’s mind.

New Strategies

One of the most telling examples of this can be read into the decades-long attempts by many world leaders collaborating on the Sustainable Development Goals, taken up at the 70th UN General Assembly. [20] The key 17 goals all come down to ending poverty sustainably. [21] In the last 25 years the number of individuals living on less than US$1.25/day has gone from approximately 2 billion individuals to 1 billion, while child mortality – kids perishing before the age of one – has been reduced in many countries, including Ethiopia, Bangladesh and Cambodia, by two/thirds. Overall, the surviving numbers of children during that 25-year generation have increased by 7 million. Another goal of the Sustainable Development Goals encompasses the making of resilient cities; of protecting the oceans, all within the next 15 years. It is more than possible: it will happen.

Here are two key solutions towards that end. 1) C4 photosynthesis pathways using LED blue/red spectrum aeroponic vertical agricultural cities; and 2) Artificial fish, dairy and meat – the latter, in part, having been funded at an experimental stage by Google co-founder Sergey Brin, in the Netherlands. These two initiatives, globally manifested, could save the Arctic, Antarctic, and genetically-rich neo-tropics and fast dwindling coral reefs whose third global blanching event was recently documented by NASA. International compassion fatigue and “reality resignation” are not responsible options.

In the past, most international environmental treaties have dragged on for decades. We must accelerate a reversal of that syndrome. We’ll all debate the results of the UN COP21 meetings in Paris. But it is clear that this generation is different from any other because we know that we are all in it together. The earth has never been smaller.

So what is our new and unprecedented generation looking at? Soon, 80% of all people will live in cities, where every new innovation in math, science, engineering and technology will be consolidated in order to moderate urban humanity’s impact on the biosphere, whilst encouraging market trends in ways that also reshape human ethics to be more fully in tune with leisure time, healthful diets, and the enjoyment of nature. Last year in the United States, there were over 700 million visits to national parks, to take but one example.

Eco-tourism is now a three trillion dollar international industry. New cap-and- trade agreements, and the revolutionary changes towards a hydrogen fuel cell global economy, in concert with other soft energy multi-gigawatt level projects, bode well for sound, stable, robust market engagement, as well as venture philanthropy that adheres to quadruple bottom line asset allocations, encouraging all of us to volunteer, to give back.

But again, I urge you to realize that we have to accelerate these ethics and innovations because the biological clock is ticking. Already, humanity weighs 300 million tons, whereas the weight of all remaining wildlife is under 100 million tons. That is one way – and a compelling one – of realizing how fast we are losing giraffes and elephants, bears and hippos, whales and other primates. At the same time, the animals we are domesticating and slaughtering now weigh over 700 million tons. That production is utterly devastating our health and that of the planet, not to mention those animals themselves, each and every one of them. But we can change all this on a kopek, like a kid doing a 180 on a skateboard. [22] We are consuming some 2 trillion vertebrates each year, including FAO-documented fish. All those sentient beings’ pain constitutes that largest aggregate of suffering in the last 65 million years, what the ecologist Jane Gray Morrison and I have termed “the pain points,” referring to the geography of industrial slaughterhouses, on land and at sea; and of outright poaching; as well as the more subtle but equally cumulative “soft” exploitive forms of human manipulation of other populations, species and individuals. [23] Add to that the centuries-old crime against forests. Humanity in all her guises has cut down 50% of all known trees on the planet, or roughly 3.4 trillion individuals since the origin of all human civilizations. [24] That, too, must change abruptly.

We can reflect on what it will take for everyone to embrace the route recommended by Leonardo da Vinci, or the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Rajendra Pachauri, a few years ago, namely, vegetarianism. [25] As referenced earlier, that would be both behaviorally and pragmatically the single most effective ecological paradigm shift in behavior everyone could easily embrace; one that would decouple the continuing crippling of the non-renewable biodiversity resources, the escalating animal holocausts meted out by humans every hour and one of the largest sectors of Greenhouse Gas contributors, from the supply chain of human consumption, in a single stroke. Such a transformation requires no World Trade Organization or other cumbersome international treaty negotiations. It happens instantly in the privacy of our hearts and homes. You can wake up tomorrow and begin. You can be assured your children will be watching and learning and – in some cases impatiently waiting for you to set just such an example. They are looking to us to be the change they have always believed in. That is the nature and magic of childhood.

There are countless other charismatic examples. Consider the Gross National Happiness reality in Bhutan. [26] A country that has already, for two months each year, made vegetarianism the law, while keeping more than 60% of her forests in tact, the decision taken many years ago by a 16-year old King. Never underestimate the potent genius of teenagers.

Or consider another extraordinary act of globalization in favor of protecting the planet, namely, the recently achieved 17.8 million acres of the Southern Suriname Conservation Corridor, now in the hands of 3,000 indigenous Trio and Wayana Indians. An area of essentially 100 percent forest-cover 4 times the size of New Jersey, second only in expanse to the Kayapo indigenous reserve in Brazil. Such conservation achievements translate into Suriname’s unambiguous carbon credits under the UN REDD+ program -Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation [27] for the value of carbon sequestration on the world cap and trade markets. The European Natura 2000 Network Danube Delta program, widespread European Re-Wilding endeavors and the Y2Y -Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative in the United States – have been following a similar model. [28]

As Russell Mittermeier of Conservation International has described, [29] Suriname is now in a very strong position to sell the best drinking water in the world to countries throughout the Caribbean that are dependent on expensive and problematic desalinization. With a modest population of approximately 530,000 people, Suriname has blazed a remarkable trail. Vanuatu, Andorra, San Marino and others are following. Indeed, the ecological template Suriname has enshrined is now being employed by at least 12% of the world’s nations. The percentages must methodically rise. And remember, the 35 terrestrial biological hotspots I referenced earlier comprise less than 2.7% of the planet. Between them, they hold the genetic future of the world and it would not take that much political and legal hair-splitting or direct financing to safeguard them.

A Russian Ecological Renaissance

Russia’s 4th National Report by the Federation under the signatory auspices of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has had a mixed review by scientists throughout the world. While significant steps have been embraced in Russia in every sector of the prevailing extractive economy – from her fisheries and forest estates to transport and energy – “sustainability” remains elusive for many of the species imperiled. [30] The critical gaps have been outlined by critics and ultimately come down to resolvable problems: legislative controls, more transparency and policing. The science is there. [31] Science which has intimated some “1513 species of vertebrates” and more than “100,000 species” of invertebrates, many at risk. [32] Moreover, numerous new protected areas have been created across Russia including 740 areas of special conservation importance and 1,100 Important Bird Areas, while “more than 30 million hectares of Russian forest” [33] are in the process of being duly certified within the Forest Stewardship Council standards, or 25% of all commercial forests in the nation. There’s much work ahead to save Amur tigers and leopards, Asian black bears and Siberian mountain sheep, but some 50 Russian taxons are now off the Red List.

President Putin’s high popularity ratings across Russia may be due, in part, to his apparent long-standing personal love of wildlife, [34] something shared by Russian history, art, and culture.

Yes, Russian environmental politics still has much work to do. [35] Past critics of the country’s environmental record – from Greenpeace to the Wall Street Journal – have pointed to a degradation of several of the Special Protected Areas, and UNESCO-recognized nature sites, [36] as well as the pollution versus local human community employment challenges of the world’s largest, by volume, fresh water lake in the world, that of Lake Baikal. [37]

Every nation has its environmental critics and inherently difficult trade-offs.  But few nations have the advantage of such an extraordinary history of love of nature as Russia. From the great 19th century landscapes of an Isaac Levitan, the rural lore, mountains, Central Steppes, and swan lakes that figure in such artists as Ivan Shishkin’s ponderous forests, Turgenev’s “Notes of a Hunter,” Fedor Vasil’ev’s “Wet Meadow,” the Kafkaz in Mikhail Lermontov’s Geroy nashevo vremeni , to the more modern Jamila , by Chinghiz Aitmatov (1958). And of course, one cannot forget the nostalgic visions evoked in Vladimir Arsenyev’s iconic figure of “Dersu Uzala” (1923). I can easily read into Russia’s love affair with the outdoors a universal enthrallment that is transfixing and infectious.

In Conclusion

For that reason, and all the others I have been referencing, I remain extraordinarily optimistic, both for Russia and the world. I want to believe that I am standing today in a city among colleagues where it is no reach to suggest that a true renaissance in the globalization of ethics-based politics, the sciences and the arts is well underway. Not glib lip service to big statistics, both positive and negative, but a true window on a hopeful future for all life on earth, including those of us here, our loved ones, our friends, our fellow human beings.

[1] Donald K. Anton, “`Treaty Congestion’ in International Environmental Law,” International Law Reporter, January 24, 2012, http://ilreports.blogspot.com/2012/01/anton-treaty-congestion-in.html [2] Lawrence Susskind, “Strengthening the Global Environmental Treaty System,” Issues in Science and Technology, Volume XXV, Issue 1, Fall 2008, http://issues.org/25-1/susskind/ [3] John Vidal, “Many treaties to save the earth, but where’s the will to implement them?” http://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2012/jun/07/earth-treaties-environmental-agreements , The Guardian, Thursday, June 7, 2012 [4] “ Human Appropriation of the Productions of Photosynthesis ,”by Peter Vitousek, Paul R. Ehrlich, Anne H. Ehrlich and Pamela Matson, 1986. See also: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/GlobalMaps/view.php?d1=MOD17A2_M_PSN [5] Donella H. Meadows, Gary. Meadows, Jorgen Randers, and William W. Behrens III, New York: Universe Books, 1977 [6] Directed by Gerald O. Barney, U.S. Government Printing Office, Later edition: http://www.geraldbarney.com/Global_2000_Report/G2000-Eng-7Locks/G2000_Vol_One_7Locks.pdf [7] See World War III – Population and the Biosphere at the End of the Millennium, by Michael Charles Tobias, Preface by Jane Goodall, Second Edition, Continuum Books, New York, 1998. [8] ‘Eternal Life’: Russian Scientist Anatoli Brouchkov Injects Himself With 3.5-Million-Year-Old Bacteria To Boost Longevity, Immune System Sep 28, 2015, By Lizette Borreli , [9] “Polarstern Expedition –Hundreds of New Species Found in Antarctic Ocean Depths,” May 24, 2007. The Zoological Museum in Hamburg conducted a series of three expeditions aboard the ship, Polarstern, over the course of the summers 2002 and 2005. “Each liter of water/mud extracted from the ocean floor contained up to 40,000 animals, many of which were new species.” [10]  https://www.ut.ee/SOSE/sss/Lotman331.pdf [11]  http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34387945 [12] www.visiteppingforest.org/ [13]  Theodore Roosevelt Timeline of Conservation Legacy [14]  http://www.iucn.org/about/ [15]  http://www.nature.com/news/mysterious-die-off-sparks-race-to-save-saiga-antelope-1.17675 [16] What One Starving Polar Bear Picture Does and Doesn’t Say About Climate Change [17]  http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1981/jul/16/a-modest-proposal/ [18]  http://www.nature.com/news/anthropocene-the-human-age-1.17085 [19] George Urban, September 1976, “From Containment to Self-Containment: A conversation with George Kennan”,  Encounter , p.17. [20]  https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgsproposal [21] “World leaders set sights on sustainable development,” by Noam N. Levey, Los Angeles Times, Wed., Sep. 23, p.A3. [22]  Industrial farming is one of the worst crimes in history , Yuval Noval Harai, The Guardian, [23] See Tobias and Morrison, God’s Country: The New Zealand Factor, A Dancing Star Foundation Book, Zorba Press, Los Angeles CA and Ithaca, NY, 2010. [24]  https://www.inside.com/science/u6o7m/Researchers-estimate-there-are-3-4-trillion-trees- [25]  Get Back In The Car: Vegetarian IPCC Chairman Rajendra Pachauri Says Less Meat Will Slow Global Warming  [26] A Compendium of Gross National Happiness (GNH) Statistics , National Statistics Bureau of Bhutan; See also:  The Last Shangri-la? A Conversation with Bhutan’s Secretary of the National Environment Commission, Dr. Ugyen Tshewang , Michael C. Tobias, 2011, Forbes [27]  www.un-redd.org/aboutredd [28]  http://www.rewildingeurope.com/areas/ [29]  New Conservation Corridor Latest Environmental Triumph for Suriname by Dr. Russell A. Mittermeier [30]  https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/ru/ru-nr-05-en.pdf [31] I quote from the CBD, “A large number of pending legislative issues and obstacles to the implementation of measures to protect the environment and biodiversity; Insufficient state control in the field of conservation and use of biological resources and forests; Insufficient transparency of state authorities’ work, lack of access to the documents adopted as well as broad public participation in discussing issues related to environmental protection and biodiversity conservation; Problems in the system of biodiversity conservation and protected areas governance; Poor development of educational activities in the community to raise awareness of biodiversity(‘s) role and the need for careful attitude to it.” [32] This number encompasses “320 species of mammals, 732 species of birds, 80 species of reptiles, 29 species of amphibians, 343 species of freshwater fish…1,500 species of sea fish” and “invertebrate fauna” in excess of “100,000 species.” We know from national environmental health reports in Russia dating back to 2012, that at least “5% of plants, 7% of fish…17% of birds, 20% of mammals, 28% of reptiles (and) 30% of amphibians” are threatened. ibid, p.8. [33] Forest data, ibid. These newly protected areas include the “Utrish strict nature reserve, and other PAs including the Arctic, Saylugemsky, Land of the Leopard, Onezhskoe Pomorie, Beringia, the Shantary Islands, Gazelle Valley and Pozarym.” https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/ru/ru-nr-05-en.pdf , p.1. [34]  Vladimir Putin with Animals Tumblr ; Vladimir Putin Really Loves Tigers — And It’s Actually Making a Difference in the World [35] National Strategy of Biodiversity Conservation in Russia, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, Moscow, 2001; https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/ru/ru-nbsap-01-p1-en.pdf

[36] osobo okhranyaemye prirodnye territorii, zapovedniki and zakazniki

[37] http://russialist.org/russia-gamekeeper-has-turned-poached/ ;

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703837004575013151050816556

© Copyright by Michael Charles Tobias/Dancing Star Foundation, 2015

Human, economic, environmental toll of climate change on the rise: WMO

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The relentless advance of climate change brought more drought, flooding and heatwaves to communities around the world last year, compounding threats to people’s lives and livelihoods, the UN’s World Meteorological Organization ( WMO ) said on Friday.

WMO latest State of the Global Climate report shows that the last eight years were the eight warmest on record , and that sea level rise and ocean warming hit new highs . Record levels of greenhouse gases caused “planetary scale changes on land, in the ocean and in the atmosphere”.

#ClimateChange shocks increased in 2022. Ocean heat and sea level rise at record levels. Antarctic sea ice hit a new low. Extreme glacier melt in Europe. #StateOfClimate report highlights the huge socio-economic cost of droughts, floods, and heatwaves.🔗 https://t.co/yipNQtrK12 https://t.co/Vnrbe9M8Xl World Meteorological Organization WMO April 21, 2023

The organization says its report, released ahead of this year’s Mother Earth Day , echoes UN Secretary-General António Guterres ’ call for “ deeper, faster emissions cuts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degree Celsius”, as well as “ massively scaled-up investments in adaptation and resilience, particularly for the most vulnerable countries and communities who have done the least to cause the crisis”.

WMO Secretary-General, Prof. Petteri Taalas, said that amid rising greenhouse gas emissions and a changing climate, “populations worldwide continue to be gravely impacted by extreme weather and climate events ”. He stressed that last year, “continuous drought in East Africa, record breaking rainfall in Pakistan and record-breaking heatwaves in China and Europe affected tens of millions, drove food insecurity, boosted mass migration, and cost billions of dollars in loss and damage.”

WMO highlights the importance of investing in climate monitoring and early warning systems to help mitigate the humanitarian impacts of extreme weather. The report also points out that today, improved technology makes the transition to renewable energy “cheaper and more accessible than ever” .

Warmest years on record

The State of the Global Climate report complements the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) Sixth Assessment report released a month ago, which includes data up to 2020.

WMO’s new figures show that global temperatures have continued to rise, making the years 2015 to 2022 the eight warmest ever since regular tracking started in 1850. WMO notes that this was despite three consecutive years of a cooling La Niña climate pattern.

WMO says concentrations of the three main greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere – carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide – reached record highs in 2021, which is the latest year for which consolidated data is available , and that there are indications of a continued increase in 2022.

Indicators ‘off the charts’

According to the report, “melting of glaciers and sea level rise - which again reached record levels in 2022 - will continue to up to thousands of years ”. WMO further highlights that “Antarctic sea ice fell to its lowest extent on record and the melting of some European glaciers was, literally, off the charts”.

Sea level rise, which threatens the existence of coastal communities and sometimes entire countries, has been fuelled not only by melting glaciers and ice caps in Greenland and Antarctica, but also by the expansion of the volume of oceans due to heat. WMO notes that ocean warming has been “particularly high in the past two decades”.

Deadly consequences

The report examines the many socio-economic impacts of extreme weather, which have wreaked havoc in the lives of the most vulnerable around the world . Five consecutive years of drought in East Africa, in conjunction with other factors such as armed conflict, have brought devastating food insecurity to 20 million people across the region.

Extensive flooding in Pakistan caused by severe rainfall in July and August last year killed over 1,700 people, while some 33 million were affected. WMO highlights that total damage and economic losses were assessed at $30 billion, and that by October 2022, around 8 million people had been internally displaced by the floods.

The report also notes that in addition to putting scores of people on the move, throughout the year, hazardous climate and weather-related events “worsened conditions” for many of the 95 million people already living in displacement .

Threat to ecosystems

Environmental impacts of climate change are another focus of the report, which highlights a shift in recurring events in nature, “such as when trees blossom, or birds migrate”. The flowering of cherry trees in Japan has been tracked since the ninth century, and in 2021 the date of the event was the earliest recorded in 1,200 years .

As a result of such shifts, entire ecosystems can be upended . WMO notes that spring arrival times of over a hundred European migratory bird species over five decades “show increasing levels of mismatch to other spring events”, such as the moment when trees produce leaves and insects take flight, which are important for bird survival.

The report says these mismatches “are likely to have contributed to population decline in some migrant species , particularly those wintering in sub-Saharan Africa”, and to the ongoing destruction of biodiversity.

Ending the ‘war on nature’

In his message on Earth Day, UN chief Mr. Guterres warned that “ biodiversity is collapsing as one million species teeter on the brink of extinction ”, and called on the world to end its “relentless and senseless wars on nature”, insisting that “we have the tools, the knowledge, and the solutions” to address climate change.

Last month, Mr. Guterres convened an Advisory Panel of top UN agency officials, private sector and civil society leaders, to help fast track a global initiative aiming to protect all countries through life-saving early warning systems by 2027. Stepped up coordinated action was announced, initially in 30 countries particularly vulnerable to extreme weather, including Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries.

Early Warnings for All

WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas said on Friday that some one hundred countries currently do not have adequate weather services in place, and that the UN Early Warnings for All Initiative “ aims to fill the existing capacity gap to ensure that every person on earth is covered by early warning services”.

Mr. Taalas explained that “achieving this ambitious task requires improvement of observation networks, investments in early warning, hydrological and climate service capacities.” He also stressed the effectiveness of collaboration among UN agencies in addressing humanitarian impacts of climate events, especially in reducing mortality and economic losses. 

• extreme weather
• climate action

28 Causes, Effects & Solutions For Ecological Problems

“ You can’t start with imbalance and end with peace, be that in your own body, in an ecosystem or between a government and its people. What we need to strive for is not perfection, but balance.”

Ani DiFranco, Musician

What Is Ecology?

Ecology can be defined as a branch of biology that examines the interaction of organisms and their natural biophysical environment.

This biophysical environment can be either biotic or abiotic.

The field of ecology includes life processes, adaptions, interactions as well as the movement of energy and materials through living communities.

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Ecology is quite important for explaining and also for the mitigation of many environmental problems.

In the following, several kinds of questions regarding ecology are answered.

Moreover, the causes, effects and solutions for ecological problems are examined.

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Biotic and abiotic factors.

While biotic factors are living organisms, abiotic factors are non-living factors of an ecosystem.

Examples for biotic factors include animals, birds and plants.

Abiotic factors include air, soil or the sunlight.

What are the different Types of Ecology?

Molecular ecology, ecosystem ecology, organismal ecology, landscape ecology, community ecology, population ecology, global ecology.

Molecular ecology can be defined as an area of evolutionary biology which examines the dynamics of ecology on a molecular level.

Molecular ecology tries to answer several genetic-based questions regarding ecological evolution.

Ecosystem ecology can be regarded as a field of study related to biotic and abiotic components and their interactions within an ecosystem framework.

This field of ecological study examines how ecosystems and their different components work and interact.

Organismal ecology tries to study how individual organisms interact and respond to changing environmental factors and environmental challenges.

Landscape ecology studies the relationships between particular ecosystems and ecological processes in the environment.

Key topics of landscape ecology include land use and land cover change and ecological flows in landscape mosaics.

Community ecology examines the interaction of two or more populations living in the same geographical area.

It also examines how interactions of living organisms can change the community structure over time.

The field of population ecology examines the genetic variety and size of a population and factors that can change the population characteristics.

Global ecology can be regarded as the most high-level type of ecology.

It examines the interaction of the planet’s atmosphere, ecosystems, land, air and oceans.

What is the Difference between Ecology and Environment?

While ecology is focused on the interactions of organisms with their surroundings and with each other, environment can be regarded as a broader term.

Environment can thus be seen as a dwelling place for organisms while ecology is more community-based and focuses on the relationships and interactions of populations.

What is the Ecological Footprint?

The ecological footprint measures the human impact on our planet’s ecosystem.

It is an indicator of the dependence of humans on natural resources.

The ecological footprint is quite an important measure for the sustainability assessment of human behavior.

By using the ecological footprint, we can determine how sustainable human behavior is for our planet and in which directions we have to adjust our behavior in order to become more sustainable to ensure the future of humanity.

What is the Ecology Pyramid?

The ecological pyramid describes biomass productivity in a given ecosystem at each trophic level.

In the ecological pyramid, primary producers like plants are located at the bottom of the pyramid, while predators are at the top of the pyramid.

The ecology pyramid starts when primary producers get energy from the sun.

Part of this energy is then transferred as biomass to the next trophic level.

It is estimated that in healthy ecosystems, around 10% of the energy is transferred to the next trophic level.

What are the Stages of Ecological Succession?

Primary succession, secondary succession, intermediate stages of succession, climax communities.

Primary succession describes the stage in the ecological succession where organisms colonize an area that has previously hit by a natural disaster that wiped out all life in this area.

In such areas, the first organisms which colonize the land usually are fungi and algae, followed by simple plants like mosses.

Eventually, as time goes by, a layer of soil is formed which can be used by advanced plant species since there now a space to locate roots and extract nutrients out of the soil.

In the next step, animals, birds and insects usually colonize these areas as there is now enough food supply through plants.

In contrast to primary succession, secondary succession does not refer to an initial state where all life had been wiped out, it rather describes the changes and evolvement of populations over time in specific areas.

Secondary succession occurs every day and can be regarded as gradual movement to the climax community state.

In the ecological evolution process, there are many intermediate states of succession.

Depending on the ecological system, the transition from primary succession to climax communities can be quite short or also can take a quite long time, depending on the circumstances and sources of disturbance.

Climax communities can be regarded as the final step of succession.

In this state, the ecosystem usually remains quite stable and unchanged.

The biggest threat to climax communities usually are natural disasters like wildfires or other events that have a huge ecological impact.

Why is Ecology important?

Ecology raises the awareness of people, new research insights, protection of species, human survival, environmental conservation, avoid the spread of diseases, protection of our climate, predicting the future, efficient resource distribution.

The science of ecology is important since it raises the awareness of people on our ecological problems and how to solve them.

Through understanding the relationships between organisms which can often be quite complex, it is easier to find effective measures in order to mitigate certain problems.

Ecology often also comes up with new research insights which in turn can be used to improve policy decisions and to mitigate certain ecological problems.

With the help of ecological insights, it can be determined which species are at risk to become endangered or extinct and suitable measures regarding the protection of these species can be taken.

Since our ecological systems are quite complex and interdependent, the survival of the human species depends heavily on the understanding of ecology and how the different organisms on our planet work together.

A big environmental problem is the destruction of habitats of many animals and plants due to mining, deforestation or other actions caused by human interventions.

Ecology can determine what level of human intervention can be tolerated and how much interaction is “too much”.

With the help of ecology, we can also examine how diseases are spread and under which ecological conditions the likelihood of the spread of diseases increases.

Therefore, whenever such conditions appear, people can be warned and made aware to take protective measures.

Since ecology examines the interactions of different organisms, it can also study how climate change affects ecosystems.

Thus, ecology can help to understand the adverse effects of global warming and can also give indications on how to mitigate the climate change issue.

Since there is plenty of data on ecological processes in the past, researchers can try to predict future ecological development.

Therefore, they may be able to spot potential dangers to humanity in time so that we are able to fight those dangers efficiently.

Ecology can also help to answer questions regarding the optimal resource distribution and allocation.

In many regions worldwide, there may be a lack of resources that prevents local development.

Therefore, supplying natural resources to these countries may support them in reaching their development goals.

Causes for Ecological Problems

Earthquakes, heavy rainfalls and floods, destruction of natural habitats, illegal dumping, emission of greenhouse gases, excessive consumption, excessive waste.

Draughts can lead to serious ecological problems since they can change the dynamics of an ecological system.

For example, draughts can lead to the death of many animals and plants which in turn affects several other organisms.

This can lead to a point where the ecological balance is lost and new equilibrium states can occur.

Earthquakes can also wipe out animals and plant species on a large scale and therefore change the affected ecological systems in an adverse manner.

Moreover, earthquakes can also lead to the spread of diseases due to unhygienic conditions and therefore may further alter the ecological systems.

Tornadoes can lead to a temporary change in the structure of an ecological system.

Tornadoes may destroy buildings and also may lead to the destruction of forests.

This forest destruction in turn hurts many animals which now have to relocate to new habitats.

In turn, this could lead to an imbalance in the ecosystem and may hurt biodiversity.

Rainfalls and floods can also hurt ecosystems since many animals and plants are likely to drown.

Moreover, a mass of dead animals can also lead to a spread of diseases or even to a spread of epidemics or pandemics.

Due to our increasing world population and our rising consumption levels, we have to extract an increasing amount of resources out of the ground.

However, the extraction process through mining can hurt ecological systems since mining often involves soil pollution and also destroys natural habitats of animals which then have to find new habitats to relocate in order to survive.

Human interventions lead to the destruction of many habitats worldwide.

This is especially true when it comes to deforestation.

Large areas of forest are cut down on a daily basis.

In the Amazon Rainforest, it is quite common to intentionally burn down forests in order to get more space for farming purposes.

However, this behavior is quite harmful to local ecosystems since it destroys the habitat of a huge variety of species.

Illegal dumping is a big problem for ecosystems, especially in poor developing countries.

Industries often dump their trash into nearby rivers and lakes, which leads to several kinds of pollution and therefore hurts many animals and plants which are living in those ecosystems.

Littering can also be a serious problem for our ecosystems.

A prominent example of littering is the disposal of used cigarettes into nature.

Many wildfires are started each year due to incorrect disposal of cigarettes in forests.

In these cases, the effects of littering on the respective ecosystems are dramatic.

The emission of greenhouse gases can have severe adverse effects on ecological systems since greenhouse gases contribute to global warming .

Global warming in turn leads to several kinds of ecological problems and many animals and plants will lose their natural habitats due to the effects of climate change.

Our consumption levels skyrocketed during the last decades since our average income increased and the prices for goods dropped compared to our wealth levels.

Therefore, people consume large amounts of material things.

However, this consumption behavior has severe adverse effects on our ecosystems, since it implies issues like resource depletion and all kinds of pollution.

The production of excessive waste is another serious ecological problem.

Since our consumption levels are quite high, this also implies large amounts of waste produced each day.

We have to get rid of this waste somehow.

This is often done through the combustion of waste.

However, in the combustion process, harmful substances are emitted into the air, which in the long run can hurt many ecosystems and related animals and plants on a global scale.

Effects of Ecological Problems

Endangerment of species, loss of livelihood for many people, water pollution, air pollution, soil pollution, resource depletion, global warming, biodiversity loss.

Some of our ecological problems can lead to the endangerment or even extinction of species .

Some species only occur in a few parts of our environmental system.

If these areas are destroyed due to natural disasters or due to human interventions, these species will be lost forever.

Through ecological problems like greenhouse gas emissions and the resulting effects of global warming, many people will lose their livelihood.

This may be due to the fact that global warming will exacerbate the problem of water scarcity.

Thus, many farmers will no longer be able to tilt their fields or to raise cattle since they will simply not have enough water for these purposes.

Moreover, many islands will be flooded due to a rise in sea levels.

This will also destroy the livelihood of many people and will also lead to migration movements of the affected people.

Due to illegal dumping, significant levels of water pollution can occur.

For example, in many developing countries, industrial waste is often just disposed of into nearby lakes or rivers, which leads to significant water pollution .

Significant amounts of air pollution can occur due to industrial manufacturing processes and also due to the daily use of motor vehicles.

Air pollution contributes to the global warming issue and may also hurt ecological systems since animals are usually quite sensitive to their natural living conditions.

If there is too much air pollution, animal populations may decline due to diseases related to air pollution .

Due to natural causes like earthquakes or also through human intervention, the soil in many ecosystems can become polluted which hurts the local flora and fauna and can lead to further ecological problems since ecosystems are quite complex and interactional.

Man-made ecological problems can also lead to the depletion of natural resources .

Due to the growing world population, also the demand for material goods increases. These goods have to be constructed out of natural resources.

However, many of these natural resources like metal are non-renewable and may become depleted in the future if we do not reduce our consumption levels.

Ecological problems like the emission of harmful greenhouse gases contribute to the global warming issue.

Global warming in turn will lead to a massive decline in biodiversity and will also hurt many people who will have to migrate in order to find a new home.

Biodiversity loss may be caused by many ecological problems, either by natural causes like earthquakes or also through human interventions in ecological systems.

In the last decades, we have already lost a significant amount of species.

The problem of biodiversity loss is likely to increase in the future due to many ecological problems our planet currently faces.

Solutions for Ecological Problems

Conservation areas, restore ecological systems, government regulations, high fines for littering and illegal dumping, stop deforestation, reduce consumption, reduce waste, reuse and recycle.

One measure to protect our ecological systems is to install conservation areas where animals and plant populations can recover and live in peace with nature and are safe from harmful human interventions.

Conservation areas may therefore help to reestablish the balance of ecosystems.

Many ecological systems had been suffering from human interventions in the past.

These ecosystems should be restored in order to preserve endangered species and to give them a habitat where they can restore their populations.

There should be quite strict government regulations regarding the use of natural habitats for human purposes.

It should be more difficult for profit-maximizing firms to use untouched nature for their purposes which often involves significant amounts of pollution.

Governments should set a framework in which the protection of ecological systems is regarded as more important than the goal of profit maximization of firms.

Illegal dumping and littering can impose severe damage to our ecosystems.

Therefore, in order to reduce the incentive for those harmful actions, fines and control mechanisms regarding those actions should be increased significantly.

Our forests are crucial for human survival since they are storage spaces for many harmful gases and also provide plenty of oxygen.

They are also a natural habitat for a variety of animals and other organisms.

Thus, in order to mitigate a variety of ecological problems, we have to stop or at least reduce the level of deforestation .

Our consumption behavior is a big problem for our ecological systems.

We have to be aware that all goods we consume are made out of natural resources.

Excessive consumption can therefore lead to resource depletion and will also lead to the destruction of many natural habitats.

Therefore, it is crucial to reduce our consumption behavior in order to protect our ecosystems.

Large amounts of waste are produced every day.

In order to get rid of this waste, a significant fraction of it is burned which leads to all sorts of ecological problems.

Moreover, another part of the waste is dumped into landfills, where toxic chemicals may lead to massive soil pollution.

In order to mitigate the adverse effects on our ecological systems, we should try to reduce waste production whenever possible in our daily life.

Reusing and recycling material things is crucial in order to mitigate several ecological issues.

When you have old things that you do no longer use but that are still working, ask your family or friends if they need those items.

If not, at least make sure that you dispose of these items appropriately in order to enable effective recycling.

We have to educate our children about the adverse effects of human interventions on our ecological systems.

By doing so, when these children turn into grownups, they are likely to behave in an ecologically-friendly manner.

Moreover, children are often able to convince their parents which may also behave more environmentally-friendly .

Our ecological systems are quite important since they are the basis for the development of all life on earth.

Our planet currently faces many ecological problems, many of them made by human behavior.

Therefore, in order to mitigate these problems, everyone of us can contribute his or her part through easy measures in our daily life.

By doing so, we can make our contribution to mitigating ecological problems and therefore to ensure a livable future for the next generations.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecology

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_pyramid

https://www.ecology.com/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/ecology

About the author

My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people of all ages about our environmental problems and how everyone can make a contribution to mitigate these issues.

As I went to university and got my Master’s degree in Economics, I did plenty of research in the field of Development Economics.

After finishing university, I traveled around the world. From this time on, I wanted to make a contribution to ensure a livable future for the next generations in every part of our beautiful planet.

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Global environmental issues

Checked : T. M. H. , Greg B.

Latest Update 20 Jan, 2024

Table of content

Most prominent environmental problems

Climate change:, survival of the species:, energy crisis:, natural resources exploitation:, land degradation:, land usage:, nuclear issues:, overcrowding:, waste management:.

An overview of global environmental concerns provides an extensive and insightful investigation into the main environmental challenges which presently threaten our global environment. Explanations of the evolution of natural systems on the earth (water, biosphere, atmosphere, and ecosphere) provide fundamental knowledge of the environmental problems from the scientific concepts, processes, and historical background.

A variety of environmental problems are triggered by the fast increasing population and economic development, due to unchecked urbanization and business production, agriculture expansion and forest degradation. Significant environmental problems include the degradation of forests and the agriculture of land, depletion of resources (water, minerals, woodlands, sand, rocks, etc.), environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, loss of ecosystem resilience, and the safety of the poor.

If we had to question what are the world's environmental issues now, most citizens would be reluctant to think beyond climate change and oil shortages. Such individuals are not conscious that many other global problems are similarly harmful.

Climate change   has become more evident during the last decade and has been one of the warmer years the planet has ever seen for nine years in the decade. The change in the temperature often meant that the planet's calculations go astray. The most noticeable symptoms include environmental anomalies, extreme floods, glacial ice, rising sea levels, etc.

Another global environmental challenge is that biodiversity protection approaches flora and fauna survival to prevent habitat extinguishment. Extinction of a single plant or animal species is the result of a dramatic imbalance in the ecosystem, as it is directly or indirectly affected by several other species. In the last century or so, several plants and animal species have been extinct, resulting in a significant loss for the planet's biodiversity.

Our reliance on fossil fuels has made us significantly vulnerable to major energy crises because we are primarily dependent on our energy requirements. Although several renewable sources have been found, none have been as convincing as the primary source of energy for mankind as regards the substitution of fossil fuels. Attempts are underway to harness all the capacity of these outlets, and our existence is largely dependent on them because fossil fuels are about to run out of resources.

Our hunger for more has left us empty-handed in different areas of the planet in terms of natural wealth. Many human actions have contributed to a drastic depletion of our natural capital, including logging, forestry, fisheries etc.

Land pollution, due to human activities or desertification, has made the planet's surface unsuitable for human use because of loss of vegetation. The reason that we have gone so far in terms of protecting the natural world may be related to land loss. Inappropriate use of soil, hazardous waste disposal, widespread deforestation and other human activities are damaging to nature, always affecting our natural environment.

International land-related environmental problems are not restricted to hazardous waste disposal or large-scale degradation but also improper land use. In the case of inappropriate land use, land degradation due to development is also a significant factor. Together, these factors lead to many problems such as soil erosion, land degradation and desertification.

There is a strong potential for atomic energy, but there is no less problem with it. One of the significant difficulties; especially if safety regulations are not adequately followed, is radioactive waste from nuclear power stations. The Tragedy of Chernobyl has set an example of how atomic waste could lead to catastrophe for humankind.

Overcrowding is another major global environmental problem. With the world's   population   still rising alarmingly, the pressure on the planet's resources is growing. Overpopulation issues range from food and water crises to the absence of natural burial space. Overpopulation also leads to different population risks. Continuous population growth will not only cause natural resource depletion but will also bring more significant pressure to the economy. After all, a large population needs a massive effort for a nation in terms of finance.

This is perhaps the most apparent but most ignored global environmental problem in this article. The term 'population' itself has several other aspects, including air pollution, water pollution and land pollution. On the one hand, air pollution may be due, as a result of waste disposal in factories, oil-carrying ships, etc.

The high amounts of carbon dioxide pumped into the air by industries and vehicles and the pollution of water, water and land. Humans should be blamed for this issue, as our research appears to disturb the world. If we continue with this trend, we will soon be left without fresh air and clean water for drinking.

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With an increasing population, the human activity increases and also the volume of waste materials. These waste contain not only harmful gasses released into the air or toxic waste into bodies of water but also nuclear waste, electronic waste, medical waste and even waste from our houses. The production rate of this waste is significantly higher than what the price of treatment is, and this only leads to waste being piled up, which ultimately pollutes the environment.

Numerous environmental changes are identified as problems of global concern like

• Desertification;
• fuel depletion;
• rainforest destruction
• Coastal ecosystems modification;
• reduced drinking water availability and quality; depletion of soil resources;
• extinction of the species.

The sheer amount, scale and scope of these problems may be daunting, and some analysts have suggested that they have a collective, environmental effect on the earth's climate. These were some of the world's major environmental concerns and issues that have threatened the planet for a long time.

However, today's environmental effects on the earth are not restricted to those as mentioned above. Several issues are surfacing every day, including dams building concerns, genetic waste, etc., rendering the list of global environmental problems lengthier. If we don't begin to deal with these issues one at a time, we won't have the option to give in to these environmental problems.

References:

• https://www.dw.com/en/five-of-the-worlds-biggest-environmental-problems/a-35915705
• https://www.omicsonline.org/scientific-reports/srep632.php

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Literary Theory and Criticism

Home › Eco Criticism › Ecocriticism: An Essay

Ecocriticism: An Essay

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on November 27, 2016 • ( 3 )

Ecocriticism is the study of literature and environment from an interdisciplinary point of view where all sciences come together to analyze the environment and brainstorm possible solutions for the correction of the contemporary environmental situation. Ecocriticism was officially heralded by the publication of two seminal works, both published in the mid-1990s: The Ecocriticism Reader , edited by Cheryll Glotfelty and Harold Fromm , and The Environmental Imagination, by Lawrence Buell.

Ecocriticism investigates the relation between humans and the natural world in literature. It deals with how environmental issues, cultural issues concerning the environment and attitudes towards nature are presented and analyzed. One of the main goals in ecocriticism is to study how individuals in society behave and react in relation to nature and ecological aspects. This form of criticism has gained a lot of attention during recent years due to higher social emphasis on environmental destruction and increased technology. It is hence a fresh way of analyzing and interpreting literary texts, which brings new dimensions to the field of literary and theoritical studies. Ecocriticism is an intentionally broad approach that is known by a number of other designations, including “green (cultural) studies”, “ecopoetics”, and “environmental literary criticism.”

Western thought has often held a more or less utilitarian attitude to nature —nature is for serving human needs. However, after the eighteenth century, there emerged many voices that demanded a revaluation of the relationship between man and environment, and man’s view of nature. Arne Naess , a Norwegian philosopher, developed the notion of “Deep Ecology” which emphasizes the basic interconnectedness of all life forms and natural features, and presents a symbiotic and holistic world-view rather than an anthropocentric one.

Earlier theories in literary and cultural studies focussed on issue of class, race, gender, region are criteria and “subjects”of critical analysis. The late twentieth century has woken up to a new threat: ecological disaster. The most important environmental problems that humankind faces as a whole are: nuclear war, depletion of valuable natural resources, population explosion, proliferation of exploitative technologies, conquest of space preliminary to using it as a garbage dump, pollution, extinction of species (though not a human problem) among others. In such a context, literary and cultural theory has begun to address the issue as a part of academic discourse. Numerous green movements have sprung up all over the world, and some have even gained representations in the governments.

Large scale debates over “dumping,” North versus South environmentalism (the necessary differences between the en-vironmentalism of the developed and technologically advanced richer nations—the North, and the poorer, subsistence environmentalism of the developing or “Third World”—the South). Donald Worster ‘s Nature’s Economy (1977) became a textbook for the study of ecological thought down the ages. The historian Arnold Toynbee recorded the effect of human civilisation upon the land and nature in his monumental, Mankind and Mother Earth (1976). Environmental issues and landscape use were also the concern of the Annales School of historians , especially Braudel and Febvre. The work of environmental historians has been pathbreaking too. Rich-ard Grove et al’s massive Nature and the Orient (1998), David Arnold and Ramachandra Guha’s Nature, Culture, Imperialism (1995) have been significant work in the environmental history of India and Southeast Asia. Ramachandra Guha is of course the most important environmental historian writing from India today.

Various versions of environmentalism developed.Deep ecology and ecofeminism were two important developments. These new ideas questioned the notion of “development” and “modernity,” and argued that all Western notions in science, philosophy, politics were “anthropocentric” (human-centred) and “androcentric”(Man/male-centred). Technology, medical science with its animal testing, the cosmetic and fashion industry all came in for scrutiny from environmentalists. Deep ecology, for instance, stressed on a “biocentric” view (as seen in the name of the environmentalist group, “ Earth First! !”).

Ecocriticism is the result of this new consciousness: that very soon, there will be nothing beautiful (or safe) in nature to discourse about, unless we are very careful.

Ecocritics ask questions such as: (1) How is nature represented in the novel/poem/play ? (2) What role does the physical-geographical setting play in the structure of the novel? (3) How do our metaphors of the land influence the way we treat it? That is, what is the link between pedagogic or creative practice and actual political, sociocultural and ethical behaviour towards the land and other non-human life forms? (4) How is science —in the form of genetic engineering, technologies of reproduction, sexualities—open to critical scrutiny terms of the effects of science upon the land?

The essential assumptions, ideas and methods of ecocritics may be summed up as follows. (1) Ecocritics believe that human culture is related to the physical world. (2) Ecocriticism assumes that all life forms are interlinked. Ecocriticism expands the notion of “the world” to include the entire ecosphere. (3) Moreover, there is a definite link between nature and culture, where the literary treatment, representation and “thematisation” of land and nature influence actions on the land. (4) Joseph Meeker in an early work, The Comedy of Survival: Studies in Literary Ecology (1972) used the term “literary ecology” to refer to “the study of biological themes and relationships which appear in literary works. It is simultaneously an attempt to discover what roles have been played by literature in the ecology of the human species.” (5) William Rueckert is believed to have coined the term “ecocriticism” in 1978, which he defines as “the application of ecology and ecological concepts to the study of literature.”

Source: Literary Theory Today,Pramod K Nair

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Categories: Eco Criticism

Tags: Annales School , Arne Naess , Arnold Toynbee , Cheryll Glotfelty , Deep Ecology , Earth First! , Ecocriticism , green studies , Harold Fromm , Literary Theory , Mankind and Mother Earth , Nature and the Orient , Nature's Economy , The Comedy of Survival: Studies in Literary Ecology , The Ecocriticism Reader , The Environmental Imagination

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Environmental Problems And Solution Essay : IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample & Tips

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Updated on 31 January, 2024

Mrinal Mandal

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Attempting the IELTS writing task 2 environmental problems and solutions essay? A minimum word count of 250 is compulsory, and you should complete this task in 40 minutes. You will get an essay topic to give an opinion, summarize information, outline major issues or identify solutions for relevant problems. 

While writing the problem of pollution IELTS essay, it must be accompanied by examples, arguments, and logical reasons. Read your instructions carefully before starting. Structure your essay beforehand and decide what you wish to say about the topic. Be clear about the paragraph count that you want and your conclusion. Here are some samples to help you.

Table of Contents

Ielts writing task 2 environmental problems essay samples - 1, download e-books for ielts preparation, download ielts sample papers, environmental problems and solutions essay samples - 2, important study abroad articles, frequently asked questions, learn more about study abroad, popular study abroad destinations.

Go through some samples that will help you frame a good essay:  

Question:   Many people think that environmental problems are too big for individual citizens to fix. In contrast, others feel that the government cannot solve them unless individuals take constructive actions. Discuss both perspectives, and let us know what you think.  

Answer:  

There are pressing environmental problems that the world faces today. Some believe that they are outside the ambit of individuals to solve, while others believe that unless people step up, the governments will be unable to solve them either. This essay will discuss both these views before concluding. 

The argument is heavily tilted towards individual citizens lacking the material resources and social networks to fix long-standing environmental problems. There are several facets towards solving environmental issues, notably those concerning the administrative, governmental, regulatory, authoritative, law and order, and legal domains. For instance, manufacturing units keep releasing poisonous gases into the atmosphere while polluting rivers with toxic materials. Individuals cannot possibly combat these instances. People may argue that every stakeholder can step up and pressure the authorities and companies to take proactive steps. However, this is not a feasible solution since these companies are largely under the ownership of businesses and funds that only seek profits and do not prioritize the environment. 

It leads to the natural deduction that solving environmental problems is the joint responsibility of public stakeholders and the government. The authorities should offer legal and administrative support towards curbing pollution and other environmental issues. If any individual wishes to notify the authorities of something harmful in their region, then steps should be taken to streamline this provision as much as possible. Governments may consider setting up pollution control bodies, desks in every administrative office, random environmental inspections at manufacturing units, fines and legal provisions for a rule violation, and similar steps. 

Hence, the above premise supports the argument that the government can't fix everything unless there is sustained pressure from a section of society and individuals. The responsibility seems to veer directly towards individual actions collectively harnessed to pressure legislative and administrative mechanisms to fix prevalent issues. The combined initiatives of citizens and authorities will be the most effective solution for solving environmental problems. However, this does not mean that individual responsibility takes a backseat until there is government support. Individuals can contribute in numerous smaller ways towards ecological preservation. (Words: 360)

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Question:   Some citizens feel that the biggest environmental issue currently is the loss of animal and plant species. Some think that there are bigger ecological issues worth addressing. Discuss both perspectives, and let us know what you think.  

Many people feel that there are bigger environmental issues and potential disasters that should be tackled first. In contrast, others believe that the loss of particular animal and plant species is the biggest threat at the moment. Despite the first argument having some merits, I agree that the loss of biodiversity through the vital plant and animal species is the biggest environmental issue we face today. 

Natural disasters have increased worldwide, and scientists cite climate change as the major reason. Many experts argue that the temperature increase, especially across oceans, has led to a higher risk of blizzards, hurricanes, cyclones, and tsunamis. There are multiple natural disasters, including the devastating cyclones  Aila and  Amphan,  which struck India periodically over the last two decades. The biggest tragedy of the entire century was arguably the 2004 tsunami that destroyed Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, causing innumerable deaths, serious injuries, loss of property and homes, livelihood risks, and unimaginable damages. 

The key reason animal and plant species have to be safeguarded are the growing number of endangered species on the planet over the last few decades. Take the example of polar bears, who mostly reside in the Arctic, where they currently face threats due to the prolonged melting of the ice caps. Polar bears may completely become extinct by 2100, as per forecasts. It will have a chain effect on the Arctic ecosystem and other animals in the endangered category, such as narwhals and seals. It is only a single example of global warming and how it impacts the lives of plant and animal species. 

In my opinion, biodiversity loss is the biggest threat faced by the environment today. Citizens, action groups and governments, should find ways to collaborate and take positive steps towards preserving endangered wildlife and plants along with their ecosystems. It is because biodiversity is the bedrock of natural growth, maintenance, and evolution. Governments should simultaneously look at ways to lower carbon emissions, the usage of fossil fuels, and other factors causing climate change and deadly natural consequences. (Words: 353)

In conclusion, addressing environmental problems requires a comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand and a commitment to implementing practical solutions. Essays on environmental problems and solutions for IELTS Writing Task 2 should not only highlight the urgency of these issues, such as climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, but also emphasize the effectiveness of solutions like renewable energy adoption, conservation efforts, and sustainable practices. By critically analyzing these topics, candidates can demonstrate their awareness, analytical abilities, and language proficiency. Furthermore, such essays encourage a global discourse on environmental stewardship, underscoring the need for collective action and innovative approaches to safeguard our planet for future generations. As we move forward, it is imperative that we all contribute to these solutions, embodying the change needed to address the environmental challenges that face us today.

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How to keep our environment clean essay?

As human beings, we are blessed with a beautiful and nurturing environment. However, it is fast being reduced to shreds owing to the negative impact of our destructive and careless actions. Out of our greed, selfishness and carelessness, we are steadily destroying the environment brick by brick. The rising incidence of natural calamities throughout the world and growing emissions are only two indicators of what is to come if we do not mend our ways. I strongly feel that communities, Governments and individuals should take more concrete steps towards keeping their immediate environments clean and in good shape. 

We should enhance our environments by planting more trees and encouraging others to do the same, especially the future generations. We should also advocate legal regulations that ban usage of plastic in order to preserve our future ecosystems and oceans. We should reuse our plastic bags and not dispose them. We should gradually switch towards paper bags as well. 

We should also use more public transportation and reduce electricity and water consumption. I believe that with responsible steps, we can ensure a cleaner and healthier environment for the upcoming generations.

How to protect the environment essay?

Our environment refers to our ecosystems, communities, surroundings and our living conditions. However, it is now on its way towards being endangered owing to the callous actions of Man for greed and profit. Milking natural resources to the point of exhaustion, we have already been chipping away at the natural environment bit by bit. I believe that all is not lost however and we can start taking pro-active steps towards safeguarding our environment. 

We can start with more tree plantation since green cover is the only solution towards combating the impact of natural calamities, flooding and reducing the artificial  heat island effect that major global cities are suffering from. More oxygen will also ensure better quality of life in the bargain. We can also endeavor to protect natural habitats, urban forests and other natural ecosystems including water bodies. We should also conserve forests with dedicated initiatives and awareness programs. A lot has to be done at the Government level in this regard. 

Other measures include waste management, zero-tolerance policies for littering, soil conservation and preventing pollution. In this way, we can all work together to protect what is left of our environment in order to combat future calamities and destructive occurrences, while ensuring the sustainability of life itself on the planet.

How to save our environment essay?

Saving the environment is imperative in the current scenario. The word  save assumes immense significance here, since we have already managed to destroy large parts of our environments and natural habitats owing to greed, conspicuous consumption and politics. 

We can start by emphasizing more tree plantation and conservation of existing natural habitats and ecosystems. We should take steps towards reducing carbon emissions and footprints, while switching to electric mobility, cutting down on water waste and managing solid waste carefully. We should eliminate plastic usage in order to save our oceans. 

Forest and soil conservation are also essential for saving the environment for the future. Solar and wind energy should be promoted as the new-age formula for environmental conservation. Recycling and reusing is also the way to go with regard to conserving natural resources. With these positive steps being implemented by environmental organizations and authorities worldwide, we can attempt to save our environment, leaving it intact and sustainable for future generations.

How I care for the environment everyday essay?

As human beings, we are all governed by a set of fundamental duties and responsibilities to ourselves, our families, society and the environment. We are all entrusted with responsibilities to leave behind a sustainable environment for upcoming generations instead of defiling it and leaving behind the planet in a hazardous state. 

At my end, I try to take various pro-active steps towards caring for my environment. I try and plant trees as often as I can, not just in proximity to my residence, but also throughout my community, by organizing tree plantation drives. I gift saplings to my loved ones and acquaintances. I also reuse plastic bags at home while avoiding the usage of new ones. I use paper bags for my shopping as much as possible. I regularly volunteer for beach and park clean-up drives in my locality while also spreading awareness amongst children and younger generations. I try and use lesser water and encourage my family members to do the same. I also buy sustainable seafood and have cut down on my consumption of electricity. 

These are some small ways through which I care for my environment. I firmly encourage others to do the same. We only have one planet and it is time that we stopped taking it for granted.

How do humans affect the environment essay?

Over centuries, human beings have adversely impacted the environment, especially with a rapid growth in population, housing and societal requirements, along with widespread urbanization and industrialization. 

Human beings have contributed towards large-scale deforestation and elimination of precious forest cover throughout the world for housing, industries, profitable enterprises and other purposes. Industrialization and consumerism have become a lethal cocktail that has led to increasing usage of plastic that chokes up our oceans and causes pollution, more toxic emissions with an increase in vehicles and burning of fossil fuels and contamination of soil and water through harmful chemicals. 

As human beings, we have also managed to destroy the tender ecological balance through misuse and exploitation of natural resources for profits. Littering and careless waste disposal have also hurt the environment along with wildlife extinction and biodiversity losses. Last but not the least; we have also contributed towards soil erosion, higher radiation and noise pollution. These are the catastrophic ways in which we have harmed the environment. Decades of restorative measures are required to reverse these damages to an extent.

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Mrinal Mandal is a study abroad expert with a passion for guiding students towards their international education goals. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering, earned in 2018. Since 2021, Mrinal has been working with upGrad Abroad, where he assists aspiring students in realizing their dreams of studying abroad. With his expertise and dedication, he empowers individuals to navigate the complexities of international education, making their aspirations a reality.

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Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Environmental Issues — Environmental Problems: Challenges and Solutions

Environmental Problems: Challenges and Solutions

• Categories: Ecology Environmental Issues

About this sample

Words: 1427 |

Published: May 17, 2022

Words: 1427 | Pages: 3 | 8 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, environmental problems, global climate change (greenhouse effect), energy conservation, renewable energy sources, sustainable energy.

• Greenhouse gas emissions must be balanced or reduced, with the help of RES and energy conservations.
• Energy conservation is vital to sustainable development and, although it has its limitations, it must be performed in all possible ways. This is necessary not only for us but for the next generation as well.
• Renewable energy sources and technologies should be used more to prevent upcoming energy shortages and environmental problems.
• Energy, environment and sustainable development Ibrahim Dincer a, *, Marc A. Rosen
• A review of renewable energy sources, sustainability issues and climate change mitigation
• Perman R, Ma Y, McGilvray J. Natural resource and environmental economics. London: Longman, 1996.
• Dincer I. Energy and environmental impacts: present and future perspectives. Energy Sources 1998;20(4-5):427-53.
• Aebischer B, Giovannini B, Pain D. Scienti®c and technical arguments for the optimal use of energy. Geneva: IEA, 1989.
• Anon. Global energy perspectives to 2050 and beyond. London: World Energy Council Technical Report, 1995

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News from the Columbia Climate School

Protecting Our Planet: 5 Strategies for Reducing Plastic Waste

Olga Rukovets

Plastics are ubiquitous in our world, and given that plastic waste can take thousands of years to break down , there’s more of it to be found on Earth every single day. Worse yet is the fact that the stuff doesn’t easily decompose —it mostly just disintegrates into smaller and smaller pieces.

These tiny particles, called microplastics , have found their way to all parts of our globe , no matter how remote. They’re also increasingly detected in our food and drinking water. A recent study by Columbia researchers found that water bottles contain even more—10 to 100 times more—of these minute plastic bits (dubbed “nanoplastics”) than we previously believed. The health effects and downstream repercussions of microplastics are not fully understood, but researchers are concerned about the long-term impacts of ingesting all this plastic.

Meaningful change to clean up this mess will undoubtedly need to happen on a very large scale. Accordingly, Earthday.org , an organization that originates from the first Earth Day back in 1970, has designated this year’s theme as Planet vs. Plastics , with a goal of achieving a 60% reduction in plastics production by 2040. Organizations like Ocean Cleanup have been working on technologies to clean up the plastic floating in our oceans and polluting our waterways. And in 2022, 175 UN member nations signed on to a global agreement that promises to produce a binding treaty to overcome the scourge of plastic by the end of this year (though it has not been without setbacks ).

What are some actions individuals can take on a regular basis to reduce plastics consumption?

1. Embrace the circular economy

Increasingly, advocates are calling for a circular approach to production and consumption as one important way to reduce the burden of plastic waste. Sandra Goldmark , senior assistant dean of interdisciplinary engagement at the Columbia Climate School, reminds us that circularity is very much in use in the modern world—we have public libraries, neighborhood swaps and traditional and regenerative agricultural practices that demonstrate the success of the concept. But it does need to be harnessed on a global scale for the benefits to be palpable. “Currently [our economy] is just 8.6% circular,” Goldmark said. “Over 90% of the resources extracted from the earth are manufactured into goods that are used, usually once, and then sent to landfill or incinerated, often within a year.” By encouraging greater reuse, repurposing and exchange of these goods, we can keep more plastic out of our oceans and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions substantively.

Fast fashion, for example, may be appealing for its convenience and low prices—but what are the true costs? With 100 billion garments being produced every year, 87% end up as waste ( 40 million tons ) in a landfill or incinerator. The average person is now buying 60 percent more clothing than they did 15 years ago, but they’re only keeping them for  half as long as they used to, according to EarthDay.org . 

Instead, the UN Environment Programme recommends re-wearing clothes more frequently and washing them less often. Look for neighborhood swaps and Buy Nothing groups, where you can trade items with your local community. Consider repairing items before trading them in for new ones. See additional tips for healthier consumption of “stuff” here .

2. Reduce your reliance on single-use plastics

Considering the fact that Americans currently purchase about 50 billion water bottles per year, switching to a reusable water bottle could save an average of 156 plastic bottles annually. Start bringing reusable shopping bags and containers when you go to the grocery store or coffee shop.

Many cities and states have already implemented plastic bag bans as one step toward decreasing our use of these plastics. Some local businesses even offer discounts for bringing your own coffee cup or bags with you.

3. If all else fails, recycle (responsibly)

When it can’t be avoided, recycle your plastic correctly . If you try to recycle the wrong items—sometimes called “ wishcycling ”—it can slow down an already constrained sorting process. One rule to remember, Keefe Harrison, CEO of the Recycling Partnership , told NPR: “When in doubt, leave it out.”

Recycling programs vary between communities and states, so it’s important to get to know your symbols and research what they mean in your own zip code . For example , plastic bags and plastic wrap or film cannot be placed in your household recycling bin, but some stores have special collections for those items. The symbol on the bottom of a plastic container can tell you what the plastic is made from, which can help guide your decision to recycle it or not, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it can be picked up by your local recycling program. Local websites, like New York City’s 311 , can provide a more detailed breakdown of the types of items that can and cannot be recycled—e.g., rigid plastic packaging including “clamshells”: yes; tubes from cosmetics and toothpaste: no.

Still, reports of how much (or how little) of our plastic waste is actually recycled are alarming—with some estimates ranging from 10% to as low as 5% —so it is still best to opt for other alternatives whenever possible.

4. Get involved with local actions and clean-ups

There are many local movements doing their part to mitigate the environmental contamination caused by plastics pollution. Take a look at what’s happening locally in your neighborhood and globally. Check with your parks department for organized community efforts or consider starting your own . As part of EarthDay.org, you can register your initiative with the Great Global Cleanup , where you can find helpful tips on all stages of this process and connect with a worldwide community.

5. Stay informed about new legislation

As the world grapples with the growing plastics crisis, some states are trying to take matters into their own hands. In California, the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act (known as SB 54 ), mandates the switch to compostable packaging for all single-use utensils, containers and other receptacles by 2032, with steep fines for companies that don’t comply. New York is currently moving ahead with a bill called Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act , with the goal of cutting down plastic packaging by 50% in the next 12 years; if it is signed into law, this legislation would also mandate charging fees for noncompliant brands.

Pay attention to what’s happening in your own county, state or country and get involved with efforts to advocate for causes you support. Send messages to your representatives, educate your neighbors and friends, and join a larger contingent of people trying to make the world a better and more sustainable place for current and future generations.

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There’s an Explosion of Plastic Waste. Big Companies Say ‘We’ve Got This.’

Big brands like Procter & Gamble and Nestlé say a new generation of plants will help them meet environmental goals, but the technology is struggling to deliver.

Recycled polypropylene pellets at a PureCycle Technologies plant in Ironton, Ohio. Credit... Maddie McGarvey for The New York Times

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By Hiroko Tabuchi

• Published April 5, 2024 Updated April 8, 2024

By 2025, Nestle promises not to use any plastic in its products that isn’t recyclable. By that same year, L’Oreal says all of its packaging will be “refillable, reusable, recyclable or compostable.”

And by 2030, Procter & Gamble pledges that it will halve its use of virgin plastic resin made from petroleum.

To get there, these companies and others are promoting a new generation of recycling plants, called “advanced” or “chemical” recycling, that promise to recycle many more products than can be recycled today.

So far, advanced recycling is struggling to deliver on its promise. Nevertheless, the new technology is being hailed by the plastics industry as a solution to an exploding global waste problem.

The traditional approach to recycling is to simply grind up and melt plastic waste. The new, advanced-recycling operators say they can break down the plastic much further, into more basic molecular building blocks, and transform it into new plastic.

PureCycle Technologies, a company that features prominently in Nestlé, L’Oréal, and Procter & Gamble’s plastics commitments, runs one such facility, a $500 million plant in Ironton, Ohio. The plant was originally to start operating in 2020 , with the capacity to process as much as 182 tons of discarded polypropylene, a hard-to-recycle plastic used widely in single-use cups, yogurt tubs, coffee pods and clothing fibers, every day.

But PureCycle’s recent months have instead been filled with setbacks: technical issues at the plant, shareholder lawsuits, questions over the technology and a startling report from contrarian investors who make money when a stock price falls. They said that they had flown a drone over the facility that showed that the plant was far from being able to make much new plastic.

PureCycle, based in Orlando, Fla., said it remained on track. “We’re ramping up production,” its chief executive, Dustin Olson, said during a recent tour of the plant, a constellation of pipes, storage tanks and cooling towers in Ironton, near the Ohio River. “We believe in this technology. We’ve seen it work,” he said. “We’re making leaps and bounds.”

Nestlé, Procter & Gamble and L’Oréal have also expressed confidence in PureCycle. L’Oréal said PureCycle was one of many partners developing a range of recycling technologies. P.&G. said it hoped to use the recycled plastic for “numerous packaging applications as they scale up production.” Nestlé didn’t respond to requests for comment, but has said it is collaborating with PureCycle on “groundbreaking recycling technologies.”

PureCycle’s woes are emblematic of broad trouble faced by a new generation of recycling plants that have struggled to keep up with the growing tide of global plastic production, which scientists say could almost quadruple by midcentury .

A chemical-recycling facility in Tigard, Ore., a joint venture between Agilyx and Americas Styrenics, is in the process of shutting down after millions of dollars in losses. A plant in Ashley, Ind., that had aimed to recycle 100,000 tons of plastic a year by 2021 had processed only 2,000 tons in total as of late 2023, after fires, oil spills and worker safety complaints.

At the same time, many of the new generation of recycling facilities are turning plastic into fuel, something the Environmental Protection Agency doesn’t consider to be recycling, though industry groups say some of that fuel can be turned into new plastic .

Overall, the advanced recycling plants are struggling to make a dent in the roughly 36 million tons of plastic Americans discard each year, which is more than any other country. Even if the 10 remaining chemical-recycling plants in America were to operate at full capacity, they would together process some 456,000 tons of plastic waste, according to a recent tally by Beyond Plastics , a nonprofit group that advocates stricter controls on plastics production. That’s perhaps enough to raise the plastic recycling rate — which has languished below 10 percent for decades — by a single percentage point.

For households, that has meant that much of the plastic they put out for recycling doesn’t get recycled at all, but ends up in landfills. Figuring out which plastics are recyclable and which aren’t has turned into, essentially, a guessing game . That confusion has led to a stream of non-recyclable trash contaminating the recycling process, gumming up the system.

“The industry is trying to say they have a solution,” said Terrence J. Collins, a professor of chemistry and sustainability science at Carnegie Mellon University. “It’s a non-solution.”

‘Molecular washing machine’

It was a long-awaited day last June at PureCycle’s Ironton facility: The company had just produced its first batch of what it describes as “ultra-pure” recycled polypropylene pellets.

That milestone came several years late and with more than $350 million in cost overruns. Still, the company appeared to have finally made it. “Nobody else can do this,” Jeff Kramer, the plant manager, told a local news crew .

PureCycle had done it by licensing a game-changing method — developed by Procter & Gamble researchers in the mid-2010s, but unproven at scale — that uses solvent to dissolve and purify the plastic to make it new again. “It’s like a molecular washing machine,” Mr. Olson said.

There’s a reason Procter & Gamble, Nestlé and L’Oréal, some of the world’s biggest users of plastic, are excited about the technology. Many of their products are made from polypropylene, a plastic that they transform into a plethora of products using dyes and fillers. P.&G. has said it uses more polypropylene than any other plastic, more than a half-million tons a year.

But those additives make recycling polypropylene more difficult.

The E.P.A. estimates that 2.7 percent of polypropylene packaging is reprocessed. But PureCycle was promising to take any polypropylene — disposable beer cups, car bumpers, even campaign signs — and remove the colors, odors, and contaminants to transform it into new plastic.

Soon after the June milestone, trouble hit.

On Sept. 13, PureCycle disclosed that its plant had suffered a power failure the previous month that had halted operations and caused a vital seal to fail. That meant the company would be unable to meet key milestones, it told lenders.

Then in November, Bleecker Street Research — a New York-based short-seller, an investment strategy that involves betting that a company’s stock price will fall — published a report asserting that the white pellets that had rolled off PureCycle’s line in June weren’t recycled from plastic waste. The short-sellers instead claimed that the company had simply run virgin polypropylene through the system as part of a demonstration run.

Mr. Olson said PureCycle hadn’t used consumer waste in the June 2023 run, but it hadn’t used virgin plastic, either. Instead it had used scrap known as “post industrial,” which is what’s left over from the manufacturing process and would otherwise go to a landfill, he said.

Bleecker Street also said it had flown heat-sensing drones over the facility and said it found few signs of commercial-scale activity. The firm also raised questions about the solvent PureCycle was using to break down the plastic, calling it “a nightmare concoction” that was difficult to manage.

PureCycle is now being sued by other investors who accuse the company of making false statements and misleading investors about its setbacks.

Mr. Olson declined to describe the solvent. Regulatory filings reviewed by The New York Times indicate that it is butane, a highly flammable gas, stored under pressure. The company’s filing described the risks of explosion, citing a “worst case scenario” that could cause second-degree burns a half-mile away, and said that to mitigate the risk the plant was equipped with sprinklers, gas detectors and alarms.

Chasing the ‘circular economy’

It isn’t unusual, of course, for any new technology or facility to experience hiccups. The plastics industry says these projects, once they get going, will bring the world closer to a “circular” economy, where things are reused again and again.

Plastics-industry lobbying groups are promoting chemical recycling. At a hearing in New York late last year, industry lobbyists pointed to the promise of advanced recycling in opposing a packaging-reduction bill that would eventually mandate a 50 percent reduction in plastic packaging. And at negotiations for a global plastics treaty , lobby groups are urging nations to consider expanding chemical recycling instead of taking steps like restricting plastic production or banning plastic bags.

A spokeswoman for the American Chemistry Council, which represents plastics makers as well as oil and gas companies that produce the building blocks of plastic, said that chemical recycling potentially “complements mechanical recycling, taking the harder-to-recycle plastics that mechanical often cannot.”

Environmental groups say the companies are using a timeworn strategy of promoting recycling as a way to justify selling more plastic, even though the new recycling technology isn’t ready for prime time. Meanwhile, they say, plastic waste chokes rivers and streams, piles up in landfills or is exported .

“These large consumer brand companies, they’re out over their skis,” said Judith Enck, the president of Beyond Plastics and a former regional E.P.A. administrator. “Look behind the curtain, and these facilities aren’t operating at scale, and they aren’t environmentally sustainable,” she said.

The better solution, she said, would be, “We need to make less plastic.”

Touring the plant

Mr. Olson recently strolled through a cavernous warehouse at PureCycle’s Ironton site, built at a former Dow Chemical plant. Since January, he said, PureCycle has been processing mainly consumer plastic waste and has produced about 1.3 million pounds of recycled polypropylene, or about 1 percent of its annual production target.

“This is a bag that would hold dog food,” he said, pointing to a bale of woven plastic bags. “And these are fruit carts that you’d see in street markets. We can recycle all of that, which is pretty cool.”

The plant was dealing with a faulty valve discovered the day before, so no pellets were rolling off the line. Mr. Olson pulled out a cellphone to show a photo of a valve with a dark line ringing its interior. “It’s not supposed to look like that,” he said.

The company later sent video of Mr. Olson next to white pellets once again streaming out of its production line.

PureCycle says every kilogram of polypropylene it recycles emits about 1.54 kilograms of planet-warming carbon dioxide. That’s on par with a commonly used industry measure of emissions for virgin polypropylene. PureCycle said that it was improving on that measure.

Nestlé, L’Oréal and Procter & Gamble continue to say they’re optimistic about the technology. In November, Nestlé said it had invested in a British company that would more easily separate out polypropylene from other plastic waste.

It was “just one of the many steps we are taking on our journey to ensure our packaging doesn’t end up as waste,” the company said.

Hiroko Tabuchi covers the intersection of business and climate for The Times. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years in Tokyo and New York. More about Hiroko Tabuchi

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The U.S. plans to limit PFAS in drinking water. What does that really mean?

The EPA’s plan to limit forever chemicals will be costly, experts say—but will protect millions of Americans from a host of health problems.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced on April 10 the first-ever limits on per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals, in drinking water.

The agency says that the new rule will protect 100 million Americans from six PFAS known to accumulate in the body and cause a host of health problems —including kidney and testicular cancer as well as pregnancy-induced hypertension, preterm birth, and liver and immune system problems.

“I applaud the decision,” says Susan M. Pinney , director of the Center for Environmental Genetics at University of Cincinnati. “It’s in line with what we know about the health effects of PFAS.”

( Toxic "forever chemicals" are more common in water than we thought .)

But while public health experts approve of the new rule, they contend that getting forever chemicals out of our drinking water will be a herculean task given the sheer quantity of PFAS found in it along with the difficulty in removing them. And it may come at a cost to consumers. Here’s what to know about what comes next—and what the new rule means for you.

Next steps in cleaning up the nation’s drinking water

The downside of the new rule is the cost of installing the technology to fix the problem—which estimates suggest could be between $1.5 billion to $4 billion. Under the new rule , all U.S. public water systems will have three years to test their water for the six PFAS tagged by EPA and five years to reduce levels to the new national standard of 4 parts per trillion.

The EPA estimates that between 6 and 10 percent of the nation’s 66,000 public drinking water systems may have to make changes to their infrastructure in order to abide by the new rule. Eleven states already limit PFAS levels but many will still have to make operational changes if their levels are above the national limit.

Their first task, Pinney says, should be determining the source of pollution to prevent it from entering the water system—which is cheaper and easier than removing pollution that’s already there. Many facilities will have to install granular active carbon, ion exchange, or reverse osmosis water filtration systems, proven but costly methods for filtering PFAS from water.

As for infrastructural changes, the typical facility already has processes in place to coagulate or remove solids from water, polish it to remove things like heavy metals, and a chlorination treatment to disinfect the water of harmful microorganisms. “New infrastructure will likely fall somewhere in between the polishing and chlorination phase,” says Chris Moody, who handles regulation compliance for American Water Works Association (AWWA), an organization whose membership is made up of 4,300 utility suppliers.

( Is tap water safe to drink? Here's what you need to know .)

Updating infrastructure may also require hiring an engineer to design any new system for filtering PFAS as well as a piloting process to test that it’s working, adds Moody.

The EPA estimates the annual cost of compliance at $1.5 billion but Moody contends it’s vastly underestimated. In a report last year, AWWA estimated the implementation budget as closer to $3.8 billion .

What will that mean for your water bill? Moody says the cost burden depends on the size of your local water treatment facility. “Small systems just don’t have the economy of scale so your cost is much higher per household,” he says.

The EPA has already announced $1 billion in federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but municipalities may also have to secure funding at the state level and much of that cost is likely to be shouldered by the consumer. Moody estimates it could cost thousands annually per customer for smaller utilities and hundreds for the larger systems where the cost is spread over a greater population.

Is it worth it?

But many experts argue that the new limits make sense given the “weight of evidence” showing health problems associated with PFAS.

“It is these very low concentrations that can have big effects overtime as chemicals bioaccumulate in the body,” says Scott Belcher , director of the Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

( Here's where forever chemicals are hiding in your kitchen .)

PFAS are ubiquitous, found in everything from cleaning products and food packaging to water-resistant fabrics. Water, says Belcher, is low-hanging fruit when it comes to cleaning up what he calls a “long-term pollution crisis.”

While the EPA has only imposed strict limits on six PFAS based on a preponderance of scientific evidence, thousands more persist in the environment. The hope is that once new infrastructure is in place it will also remove many of those chemicals that haven’t yet been banned.

In the future, Belcher says, identifying polluters ahead of time needs to be a priority. “We’ve learned lessons over the past few decades that once these compounds get into our environment, they’re extremely difficult to remove."

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Ethical Issues in Film Erin Brockovich

This essay about Erin Brockovich explores her dual role as a mother and an environmental activist, highlighting how her maternal instincts fuel her fight against pollution and corporate irresponsibility. It discusses Brockovich’s significant legal battle against PG&E, emphasizing her motivation to protect not only her children but all children from environmental hazards. The narrative demonstrates how Brockovich’s personal life as a mother intertwines with her professional endeavors, driving her relentless pursuit of justice. It underscores the balance she strikes between her roles, showcasing her resilience and the impact of maternal love in fostering a safer, cleaner environment. Through her actions, Brockovich exemplifies how one individual’s commitment can lead to substantial changes in environmental advocacy and beyond, redefining motherhood as a powerful force for global betterment.

How it works

Erin Brockovich, a name synonymous with environmental activism and grassroots advocacy, carved a niche for herself in American legal history with her instrumental role in building a case against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) of California in 1993. This case not only brought to light the detrimental effects of water pollution on a community’s health but also showcased Brockovich’s unwavering commitment to justice. Beyond her public persona as an environmental crusader, Brockovich is a mother, an aspect of her life that intertwines profoundly with her professional endeavors.

Her journey as a mother offers a unique lens through which we can understand her motivations, challenges, and successes.

Erin Brockovich’s role as a mother has been both a driving force and a grounding influence in her life. Motherhood has shaped her approach to advocacy, infusing it with a deeply personal stake in the future of our environment. This connection is not merely incidental but a core aspect of her identity that fuels her relentless pursuit of justice. Brockovich’s experiences as a mother have imbued her with an acute awareness of the stakes involved in environmental degradation. The thought of children, including her own, facing health risks due to polluted water sources has propelled her into action, transforming her into a formidable force against corporate malfeasance.

Navigating the complexities of raising her children while spearheading monumental legal battles, Brockovich has managed to strike a balance between her personal and professional life, albeit not without challenges. Her story illuminates the struggles many working mothers face, especially those who, like Brockovich, take on battles larger than life itself. The intersection of her roles as a mother and an activist provides a compelling narrative about sacrifice, resilience, and the unyielding love of a mother. Through her journey, Brockovich has shattered the stereotype of the passive bystander, instead embodying the role of a protector, not just of her children but of all children threatened by environmental hazards.

Moreover, Brockovich’s advocacy extends beyond the courtroom and into the realm of public education and awareness, where she leverages her story and experiences to inspire action. Her dedication to environmental issues is a testament to a maternal instinct that seeks to safeguard not only her offspring but every child’s right to a clean and safe environment. This broadened scope of maternal care reflects a universal concern for the well-being of future generations, underscoring the interconnectedness of personal responsibility and collective action in addressing environmental challenges.

In conclusion, Erin Brockovich’s journey as a mother is intricately linked with her crusade against environmental injustice. Her personal experiences as a parent have deeply influenced her professional path, driving her to fight for a better, healthier world. Brockovich’s story is a powerful reminder of the impact one individual can have when propelled by love, responsibility, and an unwavering commitment to justice. Through her actions, Brockovich not only changed the course of environmental advocacy but also redefined the essence of motherhood as an impetus for global change. Her legacy, therefore, is not just one of legal victories and environmental activism but also of the profound influence a mother’s love can have in shaping a better world for all children.

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Cheap coal, cheap workers, Chinese money: Indonesia’s nickel success comes at a price

Jakarta hopes the industry is the ticket to becoming a developed nation. But there are fears the toll on the environment – and people’s lives – will be too high

S tanding chest-deep in the Molucca Sea, just outside the billowing smokestacks of the world’s largest nickel industry, Upin adjusts his mask and dives. Members of his people, the Bajau, have been known to stay underwater for more than 10 minutes but Upin resurfaces shortly. He hauls a rugged disc of metal over the side of his dugout canoe.

“Since the factories arrived, there has barely been any fish to catch,” he says and grimaces towards the opaque water.

“The ocean has become warmer and more polluted. It itches on my skin but I have no choice. Collecting scrap metal is the only way for me to survive.”

Nickel has upended life on the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi, Halmahera and Obi. Over a decade the region has gone from modest ore exporter to the world’s foremost refiner of the metal. A rural backwater has been catapulted into modernity.

Above: Upin steers his boat with wife Jenni and son Riski past nickel factories in Morowali. Since the factories opened, their drinking water has been polluted and fish is no longer abundant. – All images by Per Elinder Liljas Below: Open-cut nickel mining leads to erosion and sediment sludge in local waterways

Today this is the home of about 200 smelter production lines and 200,000 factory workers – and there could be more to come. As demand soars for nickel to power batteries and electric vehicles, Jakarta banks on the industry being its ticket to becoming a developed nation by 2045.

At the moment it is knocking the competition out of the water. Indonesia produces about half of all the world’s nickel and has pushed prices so low that most other producers are operating at a loss. Australian miners BHP and Glencore announced in February they may leave the metal altogether.

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Indonesia’s recipe for success is cheap coal, cheap ore, cheap workers and Chinese money. But this has meant a steep price to pay for locals, the environment and labourers.

In Upin’s village, Kurisa, on the eastern shore of Sulawesi, the air is pungent with the smell of metal. A smelter flanks the settlement on one side and a coal power plant on the other.

A coal power plant next to a nickel smelter in Morowali. Cheap coal power has been a key ingredient in the Indonesian nickel boom

“Today the air is OK,” says Upin’s neighbour Fauziah.

“Other days, we’re enveloped in thick smoke. The kids are coughing and feel dizzy. Last week a baby died from breathing difficulties.”

Indonesia sits on the world’s largest reserves of nickel but the concentration in the ore is very low. Refining it to battery quality, or even just to make stainless steel, is an incredibly energy-intense process. This has been powered by a construction spree of coal power plants.

Jakarta has created a loophole in its goals to phase out coal to benefit the nickel industry. Since the metal is critical for the green transition, it is allowing new coal power plants connected to nickel smelters as long as they shut down before 2050. This has led to the country setting new records in its coal consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

A coal hangar in a nickel industrial park in Morowali

“Calling the nickel industry a part of the green transition is a joke,” says Muhammad Taufik, coordinator at Jatam, an organisation advocating for a more just mining industry in Indonesia.

“It is good that it creates jobs. But it also destroys ecosystems and people’s lives.”

‘Calling the nickel industry a part of the green transition is a joke’

Muhammad Taufik, coordinator at the fair and sustainable mining advocacy group Jatam in Central Sulawesi

‘This water started turning orange’

Juhardi sits outside his house in Kurisa, grappling with pieces of plastic pipe. He woke up after a night shift at the factory to find the water supply cut off. This is not uncommon.

“Before, we led our water down from the mountains, but then this water started turning orange.”

Water samples from a range of locations along the coast confirm high levels of heavy metals stemming from the mines and refineries.

In a river near Kurisa, popular for fishing, the concentration of nickel was more than 15 times higher than the World Health Organization’s guideline value. The concentration of hexavalent chromium, a contaminant made famous in the Oscar-winning movie Erin Brockovich, was more than five times higher than WHO’s guideline value for drinking water.

Nickel mining runoff causes environmental damage to waterways

A former environmental technician at one of the nickel companies is not surprised.

“During audits, my supervisor used to tell me to hide environmental violations,” says the man, who wants to be anonymous in order not to disqualify himself for future employment.

He shows an image on his phone of pools of reddish liquid inside an industrial area, and outside its perimeter. “During the rainy season it always floods, and contaminated water flows out into the environment.”

A fisher outside one of Morowali’s many nickel ports. Rapid industrialisation over the past decade has drastically altered the local way of life

Many inhabitants in the region have been bought out from their land. Others tell stories of being forced away. The inhabitants of Kurisa live in stilt houses over the water and don’t hold any land titles. Lacking other opportunities, those young and healthy enough have taken up jobs in the factories. Juhardi describes the work as tough, with scant security precautions.

“Yesterday two trucks collided. Instead of reporting it, my boss said that we should just fix up the trucks and drivers. The companies cover up accidents so they don’t have to pay compensation or stop work. That means they never learn, and new accidents happen every day.”

Workers in the nickel industry on their way home from work in Morowali. The industry directly employs more than 100,000 people, and indirectly over 150,000

On Christmas Eve last year, catastrophe struck. An explosion at a smelter took 21 lives.

Videos from the aftermath soon became viral. They show workers jumping out of a building consumed with flames and smoke. Others lie writhing in pain on the ground. During the following days, workers shared the identity of victims in internal WhatsApp groups.

Among the names, Juhardi saw his cousin’s son, listed as seriously wounded. Juhardi reached his parents by phone, and even though five days had passed, this was the first notice they had about their son. Eventually they found him at a hospital.

Juhardi is fixing the water pipe at his home in Kurisa, a village sandwiched between a coal power plant and a nickel smelter. ‘Since the factories arrived, we’ve had problems with our water supply,’ he says

“I’m extremely disappointed with the company’s slow response,” Juhardi says.

Media reported about the explosion both inside and outside the country. A union leader says the government is determined to convict those responsible but they don’t want more of a scandal.

A spokesperson for PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel, a subsidiary of PT Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park in Morowali, told the ABC at the time of the explosion it would cooperate with the investigation.

“We sincerely apologise for this incident and we are working closely with authorities to investigate what caused the accident,” he said.

Another shift is already on the way, with western auto companies such as Volkswagen and Ford investing directly in Indonesian refineries to secure their nickel supply.

Factory workers wait for a ride after a day’s work at an industrial park in Morowali

This could propel changes. Aimee Boulanger, the executive director at the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance, an organisation that has set a global standard for best practice in mining, says the government of Indonesia, as well as several of the mining outfits in the country, have started discussions with them.

“Previously, car brands used to be five to 12 steps separated from the mining industry. That they are now investing directly in the mines is creating heightened awareness of mining conditions,” Boulanger says.

“Indonesia is having a moment right now. Will it be known for responsible mining, or will it be a new Congo?”

• Asia Pacific

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