The global environmental situation is facing multiple challenges, including serious issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, land desertification, and ozone layer depletion. ‌

1. Climate Change

Global climate change is one of the core environmental issues at present. In the past 30 years, the thickness of the Arctic ice sheet has decreased by 40%, and the ice sheet in Antarctica is also decreasing. If the Earth's temperature rises above 1 ℃, fragile ecosystems will suffer catastrophic consequences, leading to species such as polar bears, seals, and walruses on the brink of extinction. In 2024, the Arctic region was recorded as the second hottest year in history, as the melting of permafrost transformed the region from a "carbon sink" to a "carbon source", releasing large amounts of methane and carbon dioxide, further exacerbating global warming.

2. Biodiversity Loss

The loss of biodiversity is another serious issue. Every year, 50000 to 80000 species of organisms disappear from the Earth, with 12% of mammals and 11% of birds on the brink of extinction. 150 to 200 species go extinct every day, and 6 to 8 species go extinct every hour. The International Plant Congress stated that humans have destroyed nearly half of the Earth's land, with 3100 species of flora and fauna on the brink of extinction. It is estimated that by the second half of the 21st century, the loss of wildlife worldwide could reach 15% to 30% of its total.

3. Land Desertification

Land desertification is also an important issue. 29% of the global land area is desert and desertified regions, with 6 million hectares of land turning into deserts every year and economic losses reaching 42.3 billion US dollars annually. There are 5 billion hectares of arid and semi-arid land worldwide, of which 3.3 billion hectares are threatened by desertification, resulting in 6 million hectares of farmland and 9 million hectares of pastoral areas losing productivity every year.

4. Ozone Layer Depletion

The depletion of the ozone layer is also a serious issue. The ozone layer is a natural barrier on Earth that can absorb most of the ultraviolet radiation and protect life from the harmful effects of intense ultraviolet radiation. However, nuclear explosions and high-altitude jet flights have led to a decrease in ozone, and it is expected that by 2025, the ozone layer may decrease by 10%, which will increase the risk of skin cancer and other UV related diseases.

5. Air Pollution

There are currently over 100 known types of atmospheric pollutants. Air pollution causes 300000 to 700000 premature deaths annually due to smoke and dust pollution, and 25 million children suffer from chronic pharyngitis. Air pollution can also have adverse effects on the climate, such as reducing visibility and solar radiation (according to data, the intensity of solar radiation and ultraviolet radiation in cities are 10% -30% and 10% -25% less than those in rural areas, respectively, leading to an increase in the incidence rate of rickets in cities; air pollution causes about 7 million premature deaths every year, accounting for 1/9 of all deaths. Nine out of 10 people breathe polluted air. Only 57% of countries have formulated legal definitions for air pollution.

6. Sharp Reduction of Forests

The green barrier of the Earth - forests - is disappearing at an average rate of 4000 square kilometers per year. Global forests are mainly concentrated in South America, Russia, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia. These four regions account for 60% of the world's forests, which are the mainstay of terrestrial ecosystems and play a decisive role in maintaining terrestrial ecological balance. However, in the past 100 years, human destruction of forests has reached an astonishing level. During the early stages of human civilization, two-thirds of the Earth's land was covered by forests, covering approximately 7.6 billion hectares; In the mid-19th century, it decreased to 5.6 billion hectares; At the end of the 20th century, it sharply decreased to 3.44 billion hectares, and forest coverage dropped to 27%. The sharp decline of forests has directly led to six major ecological crises worldwide.

7. Marine Pollution

The global issue of rising sea levels has also led to the retreat of coastlines and the threat of coastal cities. Since the 1950s, with the rapid development of social productivity and science and technology in various countries, the ocean has been polluted and damaged to varying degrees from all aspects. The increasingly severe pollution has brought extremely adverse consequences to human survival and development. Human activities have also increased nitrogen and phosphorus in coastal areas by 50% -200%; Excessive nutrients lead to massive growth of coastal algae; Red tide has appeared in the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Black Sea, East China Sea (East China Sea), and other areas. Marine pollution leads to frequent occurrences of red tides, damaging mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass, causing a sharp decline in nearshore fish and shrimp, and causing severe losses to the fishing industry.

Response Measures

Faced with these environmental issues, the international community has taken some measures. For example, by signing and implementing international agreements such as the Paris Agreement, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting green and low-carbon development. In addition, building an ecological civilization system, developing a circular economy, promoting energy-saving and emission reduction technologies, and implementing ecological protection and restoration projects (such as afforestation and wetland protection) are also important response measures.

The problems and concerns facing the global environment are very complex and diverse, and the protection of the natural environment is urgent. It is the obligation of every Earthling. The change in the world is not something that a few people have done a lot, but something that everyone has done a little bit. Protecting the environment starts from the daily details!