“In the last 50 years, global wildlife populations have declined by 73%.”

Ritchie, H., & Spooner, F. (2024, October 10). The 2024 Living Planet Index reports a 73% average decline in wildlife populations — what’s changed since the last report? Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/2024-living-planet-index

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the variety of all life on Earth, from plants and animals to entire ecosystems.

Why is it a problem?
Biodiversity keeps our planet in balance. It supports our food, provides oxygen, and contributes to a stable climate.

However, human activities are putting pressure on nature worldwide. The oceans, in particular, are suffering. They cover over 70% of our planet and form the largest ecosystem on Earth, but also one of the most threatened (1).

One of the biggest problems is overfishing: we catch more fish than nature can replenish. More than 1/3 of all fish stocks worldwide are overfished (2).

Consequences

• Collapse of fish populations
• Disrupted food chains
• Loss of habitats
• Accelerated loss of marine biodiversity
  
  

Sources

1. Martin. (2025, September 10). Goal 14: Oceans - United Nations Sustainable Development. United Nations Sustainable Development. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/oceans/
2. FAO. (2024). The state of world fisheries and aquaculture 2024. Food And Agriculture Organization. https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/9df19f53-b931-4d04-acd3-58a71c6b1a5b/content/sofia/2022/status-of-fishery-resources.html

"The 10 warmest years on record have occurred since 2015."

Climate change: global temperature. (2025, May 29). NOAA https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-temperature

What is climate change?
Climate change is the long-term change in the Earth's average weather, mainly caused by the increase of greenhouse gases (such as CO₂) that trap heat in the atmosphere.

Why is it a problem?
The Earth is warming faster than ecosystems and societies can adapt. The natural energy balance is disrupted: more heat enters than the Earth can radiate.

Consequences

• More extreme weather: heatwaves, droughts, and storms
• Rising sea levels: floods
• Ocean acidification: ecosystems under pressure
  

"Every hour, 11 Olympic swimming pools of plastic end up in the ocean."

Plastic soup | WWF | Cause and consequences. (n.d.). - WWF.nl, https://www.wwf.nl/wat-we-doen/focus/oceanen/vervuiling/plastic-soep

What is plastic pollution?

Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment, from discarded bottles to microscopic particles. It ends up in rivers, oceans, and ecosystems and barely degrades. As a result, it continuously accumulates in nature.

Why is it a problem?
Plastic production is enormous, while recycling lags far behind. Globally, we produce over 400 million tons of plastic annually, of which less than 9% is recycled. The rest is incinerated, landfilled, or leaks away (1). An estimated ~11 million tons of plastic enter the ocean each year.

Consequences
Plastic in the ocean disrupts ecosystems and threatens marine life:

• Animals get entangled or mistake plastic for food
• Harmful substances accumulate in the food chain
  
  

Sources

• OECD (2022), Global Plastics Outlook: Economic Drivers, Environmental Impacts and Policy Options, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/de747aef-en.

"1 in 11 people go to bed hungry today."

733 million people in the world are hungry – The Hunger Project NL. (2024, July 25) - https://www.thehungerproject.nl/nieuws/733-miljoen-mensen-hebben-honger/


What is food security?

Food security means that all people, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs.

Why is the food system under pressure?
Our current food system is depleting the planet and cannot sustainably feed the growing population. Climate change, soil depletion, water scarcity, and intensive land use place a heavy burden on agriculture and production.

Scope of the problem

• Globally, an estimated 733 million people are undernourished (1 in 11)
• 2.3 billion people (28.9% of the world population) experience mild to severe food insecurity (1)
  

Consequences

• Poor health and reduced immunity
• Prolonged deficiencies lead to stunted growth and development
• Communities with food shortages remain trapped in poverty