Top 10 Major Global Environmental Issues In The World - List Of Global Environmental Problems [2021]

Summary

This video script highlights the top 10 global environmental issues of our time, as outlined by the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It addresses climate change, public health crises, acid rain, ozone depletion, deforestation, biodiversity loss, ocean acidification, waste disposal, overpopulation, global warming, and various forms of pollution. The script emphasizes the urgent need for awareness and action to protect our planet's health and ensure a sustainable future.

Takeaways

• 🌿 The UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development outlines a plan to address environmental challenges and create a fairer, more prosperous, and environmentally respectful world within a decade.
• 🌡️ Over 50% of global citizens view abrupt climate change as the most significant global concern, which is already impacting the health of the planet and contributing to numerous other problems.
• 🏥 Public health issues, such as the lack of access to safe water and sanitation, pose a significant risk, with water-related diseases causing nearly one million deaths annually.
• 🌧️ Acid rain, caused by air pollution, can lead to respiratory diseases, damage forests, and corrode man-made structures, highlighting the impact of human activities on the environment.
• ☀️ The depletion of the ozone layer due to human activities increases UV radiation, which is linked to skin cancer, cataracts, and damage to marine life and ecosystems.
• 🌳 Deforestation for residential, industrial, or commercial purposes is rapidly reducing the planet's forests, which are crucial for carbon sequestration, oxygen production, and climate regulation.
• 🐾 Loss of biodiversity due to human activities is leading to the extinction of species and the destruction of ecosystems, which are vital for maintaining a balanced and sustainable environment.
• 🌊 Ocean acidification, a result of increased CO2 absorption by oceans, is altering seawater pH and affecting marine life, including coral reefs, which are essential for marine biodiversity.
• 🗑️ Waste disposal, particularly from overconsumption and plastic production, is creating a global crisis, with developed countries often contributing to waste dumping in oceans and less developed nations.
• 🌍 Overpopulation is leading to increased demands for resources and contributing to ecological degradation, conflicts, unemployment, and a higher risk of large-scale disasters such as pandemics.
• ♨️ Global warming, caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases, is causing rising temperatures, natural disasters, and changes in precipitation patterns, emphasizing the need for emission control.
• 🚫 Pollution, in its various forms—air, water, soil, noise, radioactive, light, and thermal—affects the environment and human health, necessitating a collective effort to tackle these interconnected issues.

Q & A

What is the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and why is it significant?

The UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a global plan of action adopted in 2015 that outlines specific measures to achieve a fairer, more prosperous, and more environmentally respectful world within 10 years. It is significant as it sets a framework for addressing the environmental challenges and global concerns of the 21st century.

What percentage of people globally consider abrupt climate change as the biggest global concern?

More than 50 percent of people across the globe believe that abrupt climate change is the biggest global concern.

How does the lack of access to safe water and sanitation impact public health globally?

The lack of access to safe water and sanitation is a significant health risk, affecting the quality of life and public health. It contributes to nearly one million deaths each year from water sanitation and hygiene-related diseases, which could be reduced with improved access.

What is acid rain and how does it affect human health and the environment?

Acid rain is rainfall or atmospheric moisture mixed with elements and gases that make it more acidic than normal. It can cause respiratory diseases in humans and damage forests, statues, buildings, and other structures by dissolving nutrients and corroding materials.

Why is the ozone layer important and what are the consequences of its depletion?

The ozone layer protects the planet by blocking harmful UV rays from the sun. Depletion of the ozone layer increases UV exposure, leading to health issues like skin cancer and cataracts, and affects marine life and plant development.

What is deforestation and what are its environmental impacts?

Deforestation is the clearing of green cover for residential, industrial, or commercial purposes. It reduces the planet's natural carbon sinks, affects temperature and rainfall regulation, and contributes to soil erosion, flooding, and increased greenhouse gases.

How does loss of biodiversity affect the health of ecosystems and the sustainability of life on Earth?

Loss of biodiversity, which includes the decline or disappearance of species and habitats, disrupts the balance of ecosystems that are essential for maintaining a healthy and thriving planet. It can lead to the extinction of species and the collapse of ecosystems that took millions of years to evolve.

What is ocean acidification and how does it impact marine life?

Ocean acidification is a chemical change in seawater caused by the absorption of CO2 from human activities, which increases the pH level of the water. This affects marine life, particularly coral reefs, by altering their living conditions and potentially leading to their decline.

Why is proper waste disposal important and what are some strategies to manage waste?

Proper waste disposal is crucial to prevent contamination of soil and water, and to reduce the emission of toxic gases. Strategies include reducing packaging, minimizing toxicity, reusing items, recycling, and sharing or renting tools and resources.

What are the implications of overpopulation for the planet's resources and the environment?

Overpopulation increases the demand for food, water, housing, energy, healthcare, and transportation, leading to ecological degradation, increased conflicts, high unemployment rates, and a higher risk of large-scale disasters such as pandemics.

How does global warming affect the Earth's climate and what are its potential consequences?

Global warming occurs when greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere, leading to rising temperatures of the ocean and Earth's surface. This results in natural disasters like flooding, melting of polar ice caps, rising sea levels, and abnormal weather patterns such as flash floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts.

What are the seven key types of pollution and why are they harmful to the environment?

The seven key types of pollution are air, water, soil, noise, radioactive, light, and thermal pollution. They are harmful because they disturb the ecosystem's balance, affect everyday life, cause human illnesses, and contribute to global warming and environmental degradation.