Contemporary Environmental and Social Issues

Climate Change: global warming, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events
Deforestation and Land Degradation: loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and desertification
Pollution: air, water, and soil pollution, and their impact on human health and the environment
Overconsumption of Resources: depletion of natural resources, unsustainable resource extraction, and waste management

Inequality and Poverty: income disparity, social injustice, and lack of access to basic necessities
Human Rights: violations of individual and collective rights, discrimination, and social exclusion
Migration and Refugee Crisis: forced displacement, border control, and humanitarian response
Mental Health: rising prevalence, stigma, and access to mental health services

Globalization and Trade: impact on local economies, job market, and cultural homogenization
Inequality and Wealth Distribution: concentration of wealth, tax evasion, and economic injustice
Debt and Financial Crises: sovereign debt, financial instability, and economic recession
Technological Unemployment: automation, job displacement, and future of work

Democracy and Governance: erosion of democratic institutions, voter suppression, and political polarization
Conflict and War: armed conflicts, terrorism, and humanitarian law violations
Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery: forced labor, organ trafficking, and sexual exploitation
Cybersecurity and Digital Rights: online privacy, data protection, and cyber attacks

Infectious Diseases: pandemics, outbreaks, and global health security
Non-Communicable Diseases: chronic diseases, lifestyle diseases, and health promotion
Healthcare Access and Equity: unequal access to healthcare, health disparities, and health systems strengthening
Mental Health and Wellbeing: global mental health crisis, mental health stigma, and mental health promotion

Climate Change: average global temperature increase of 1°C, sea-level rise of 15-20 cm, and increased frequency of extreme weather events (e.g., hurricanes, wildfires)
Deforestation and Land Degradation: 13 million hectares of forest lost annually, 80% of species threatened by habitat destruction, and 20% of agricultural land degraded
Pollution: 9 million deaths annually from air pollution, 80% of marine pollution from land-based activities, and 1/3 of all land polluted with chemicals
Overconsumption of Resources: 60% of ecosystem services degraded, 30% of global fish stocks overfished, and 1.3 billion tons of food wasted annually

Inequality and Poverty: 736 million people living in extreme poverty (<$1.90/day), 2 billion live on <$3.20/day, and 26 richest people own as much as poorest 3.8 billion
Human Rights: 40% of countries restrict freedom of assembly, 1 in 5 countries restrict freedom of speech, and 60% of countries have gender-based discrimination
Migration and Refugee Crisis: 70.8 million forcibly displaced people, 25.4 million refugees, and 3.7 million asylum seekers
Mental Health: 1 in 4 people affected, 300 million with depression, and 60% of people with mental disorders not seeking help

Globalization and Trade: 60% of global trade controlled by 1% of companies, 80% of countries have trade deficits, and 40% of workers in informal employment
Inequality and Wealth Distribution: 26 richest people own as much as poorest 3.8 billion, 1% hold 39% of wealth, and 10% hold 85% of wealth
Debt and Financial Crises: global debt at $247 trillion, 1 in 5 countries at high risk of debt crisis, and 2008 financial crisis cost $22 trillion
Technological Unemployment: 800 million jobs lost to automation, 1 in 5 jobs at risk, and 65% of children entering school will work in jobs that don't exist yet

Democracy and Governance: 1 in 5 countries experience democratic backsliding, 40% of countries restrict freedom of assembly, and 60% of countries have political polarization
Conflict and War: 100,000 deaths from conflict annually, 70 million displaced people, and 60% of humanitarian law violations committed by governments
Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery: 40 million trapped in modern slavery, 75% of victims are women and girls, and 150 billion profit from forced labor
Cybersecurity and Digital Rights: 5 billion records compromised in 2019, 60% of countries lack data protection laws, and 1 in 5 people victims of cybercrime

Infectious Diseases: 1.7 billion people infected with diseases (e.g., malaria, tuberculosis), 10 million deaths annually, and 1/3 of all deaths from infectious diseases
Non-Communicable Diseases: 70% of global deaths from NCDs (e.g., heart disease, diabetes), 1 in 5 people die from tobacco use, and 1 in 10 die from alcohol abuse
Healthcare Access and Equity: 1 billion people without access to healthcare, 30% of payments out-of-pocket, and 40% of countries have critical healthcare workforce shortages
Mental Health and Wellbeing: 1 billion people affected by mental disorders, 2/3 of people with mental disorders not seeking help, and 1 in 5 people experience anxiety or depression