Top 10 Global Problems
This list is the most comprehensive list of countries that have been affected by global problems. These include;
Migration and Asylum, Human Rights abuses, Poverty and Pollution, Climate Change, Environment pollution, Economic Development, Health Care, Corruption, Terrorism and so on.
This will be the first time a detailed ranking of these issues has been outlined in one source for anyone interested. It is easy to see, as they are all interconnected and need addressing at some point. The focus here is on identifying world’s worst problems or situations and their impacts on people living there.
We hope you enjoy reading this article but we really wanted you to know why it was written and take home messages for yourself. We are also making sure this is updated with more information so if an issue changes in 2020 it is included.
Here below is our top 10 global problems highlighted:
#1) Migration and asylum
#2) International economic development and poverty
#3) Immigration and human rights violations and discrimination
#4) Natural disasters
#5) Coronavirus pandemic
#6) Social insecurity and inequality
#7) Environmental conservation
#8) Protecting biodiversity and natural habitats
#9) Stabilizing political situation and conflicts
#10) Reducing CO 2 levels
As you can see from this overview, all these problems need immediate and focused solutions.
The full List of World’s Worst Problems compiled by “Who said what?”
#1) Migration and asylum
The number of migrants around the world has doubled over recent years, according to a report published in September 2019. However, the UN Department of Refugee, and other humanitarian organisations, says that many of those arriving in its member states are forced into extreme measures. Migrants from Haiti, Africa, Asia and a few other countries face exploitation, social exclusion and lack of access to healthcare and education. In addition, some migrants experience violence on a regular basis and many of them may end up in conflict-ridden regions or even countries. They include children, women and ethnic minorities who face serious challenges, as they try to survive in such conditions. Many of those fleeing war or persecution are forced into labour to support parents and families and those who do work in industries, mostly because they earn too little and cannot afford to buy their own homes or find work in their own communities. Many don't have medical documents for fear of being targeted by gangs or criminals and some don't have adequate amounts of food and water. Some make it to their destination only after spending months in crossing dangerous river valleys and through other hostile areas in search of refuge. Others, however, travel in search of better opportunities elsewhere, hoping to leave behind bad memories and to start a new life somewhere else. For some people, migration and asylum is not only a choice, but an escape, for others they are seen as a way to find freedom, or improve their life circumstances, or just to gain some capital for their family.
#2) Global financial system and poverty
The World Bank predicts that extreme poverty would be nearly impossible without the emergence of the middle class, the result of rapid globalization and trade, which led to the creation of vast international markets and the establishment of multinational firms that invested in research and development, technology and infrastructure investment, and increasing income inequality and income distributions. While economic growth on average is expected to reach 3 percent annually over the next decade, the effects of rising global equity and incomes in countries like China and India means that the developing world will continue to remain locked out of international global market. Such is the impact of the current global crisis that the World Bank estimates that extreme poverty is likely to soar to 8 percent within two decades – three times higher than experienced during 1980s or 1990s.
#3) Immigration and human rights violations and discrimination
Migrants suffer from discrimination and abuse in a wide range of ways, including employment, health care systems, social security and educational institutions. In particular, many migrants coming from low-income countries do not receive adequate legal protections and are subject to violent attacks, xenophobia and social discrimination. As a result, migrants often live in crowded, squalid, unsafe and unhygienic conditions, and some have limited access to safe land crossings. People from low-income countries often need protection, or a better deal, before entering developed economies, where more money is available. Those seeking legal status in the United States often face opposition to immigration because of existing immigration laws and visa rules and, consequently, in many cases they are prevented from securing employment, housing, and education. Due to the high costs of providing services in the US, millions of people from poor nations never complete their immigration paperwork and then migrate out of the country to seek refuge and safety, often causing a major disruption in their daily lives.
#4) Natural disasters
Natural calamities like earthquakes, floods, storms, pandemics like SARS, Ebola and Zika outbreaks, cyclones, tsunamis, droughts, typhoons, volcanic eruptions and many more are common. All these cause massive damage in terms of lost lives and property. For example, Cyclone Nargis devastated parts of Brazil, destroying large swathes of farm and urban centres and the deaths and injuries of hundreds of thousands of people. Hurricanes Harvey, Florence, Dorian, Michael and Wilma destroyed large swathes of Florida's south central region. Floods inundated much of central England and southern Scotland. And more recently, hurricanes have killed almost 4,000 Americans and caused tens of millions of dollars in damages. Hurricane Eta left hundreds dead and injured thousands across South East Asia. Even before this year, the frequency of such events increased steadily. Between 1998 and 2018, each of these events had been recorded at least once in every 100-200 years.
#5) Coronavirus pandemic
The coronavirus outbreak, known officially as COVID-19, began in Wuhan, Hubei province, early last year but spread rapidly worldwide. By January, over 60 countries were reporting cases of COVID-19. Within weeks, the virus had caused over 1.8 million infections. At the peak of the pandemic, over 70 countries reported over 40,000 cases. About one month later, cases started declining, but the world’s death toll rose dramatically. Over the summer, the total number of confirmed cases surpassed 24,000, and the number of deaths exceeded 180,000. In November 2020, WHO declared COVID-19 a public health emergency and announced the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners would unite to respond to the pandemic in partnership and collaboratively as a community alliance. Globally, more than 5.1 million deaths are believed to have been linked to SARS. More than 50 million cases have been detected to date. There have been no effective vaccines for COVID-19, though they have proven to be highly effective against severe disease. Most people recover in less than a week and less than half require ventilators. Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 81.4 million people have been infected in over 200 countries.
#6) Crisis in environment and pollution
More than 4 lakh acres of forests have been cleared due to excessive use of chemicals, pesticides and metals in agriculture. Around 20,000 hectares of crops are sprayed every day with toxic pesticides such as Roundup, DDT, arsenic, cadmium, lead, aluminum, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polycythem. According to researchers from the University of Wisconsin, more than 18 per cent of household waste goes untreated to agricultural farms and livestock, while over 80 per cent of municipal solid waste and about 43 per cent of municipal refuse goes untreated to industrial waste. This significantly reduces air quality in cities and suburbs where there often isn't very good ventilation. If left unchecked, this could cause several respiratory illnesses, including asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia. Another problem is the release of greenhouse gas and fertilisers. A third problem with environmental pollution is global warming. One of the leading causes of greenhouse gases is from fossil fuel burning and factories, where they burn fossil fuels in closed and tightly sealed pits and boilers. Carbon dioxide and methane also form when fossil fuels burn, along with other gasses like nitrous oxide and ammonia. Once formed, these gasses form clouds, which trap heat (which increases greenhouse gas emissions), leaving the Earth trapped between the atmosphere and the Arctic. Not only does polluted air harm your lungs, it can also harm your eyes, and if it reaches the air, it can harm the heart, kidney and other critical organs that make you alive.
#7) climate change, pollution
The increase in temperature and precipitation, especially the drought of the last five years has brought havoc to many parts of the world. Climate change is not a single phenomenon; it involves many interrelated aspects related to human activities. Water is usually warmer in the tropics, while aridity is common in sub-Saharan countries especially in the east. Soils are getting drier, particularly along eastern deserts, which may be causing soil degradation, erosion and loss of soil nutrients. Overexposure to sunlight and heating has raised temperatures in many places, causing crop failure. Extreme fluctuations in temperature and precipitation can cause severe and sometimes catastrophic weather, such as extreme storm surges, cyclones and floods. Other problems include prolonged periods of dryness and intermittent dry periods. When these occur, farmers are forced to plant less and move away in search of more fertile ground. The frequent droughts also expose farmlands to the risk of pest invasion and diseases like malaria, typhus and cholera.
#8) environment pollution
The growing population and expanding resources of humankind, coupled with rapid industrialization, also affect people health, especially in the developing world. People have become dependent on modern facilities and technologies and