Pollution at a crossroads 2.3 –Short-lived climate pollutants such as black carbon and methane are accelerating the pace of climate change. –Freshwater and ocean pollution are severely impacting human and ecosystem health, with antimicrobial pollution emerging as an increasing concern. –Nitrogen and waste pollution are becoming more costly, generating a range of health and ecosystem impacts. Pollution ranks #10 in the GRPS 10-year risk ranking, with 23% of respondents expressing maximal concern (Figure 2.5). Moreover, it is noticeable that younger survey respondents are especially alarmed, with the under 30s age group ranking it at #3 in the 10-year risk ranking. In 2024, six of the nine “planetary boundaries” for environmental health were crossed, with a seventh boundary in jeopardy.1 These boundaries contribute to the stability of the world’s life- support system, including our economies and societies. Unsustainable patterns of production and consumption are driving climate change, Pollution, and biodiversity loss, referred to by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as the Triple Planetary Crisis.2 Pollution is the world’s largest environmental risk factor for disease and premature deaths,3 and its impacts are unequal, with 92% of Pollution-related deaths and the greatest burden of related economic losses occurring in low- and middle-income countries.4 Pollution poses greater risks in specific geographies and disproportionately affects vulnerable groups of the population that are exposed to higher levels of Pollution. Marginalized communities, urban areas and industrial zones bear the large brunt of its impacts due to proximity to sources of emissions, including waste disposal sites, and often limited green spaces. These disparities create further inequities in healthcare access and burden, as well as in economic costs. By 2035, the compounded effects of Pollution threaten to erode ecosystem resilience, diminishing its ability to sustain life and deliver essential services. Decline in health and well-being (Figure 2.6) is increasingly associated with pollutant exposure, including the rising incidences of cardiovascular diseases, respiratory conditions, infertility rates and cancer.5 Anthropogenic activities are key drivers of all types of Pollution. These activities are expected to increase further over the next decade unless a different course of action is taken. Some polluting activities and pollutants are addressed under climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, including the drive towards net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, there is a concerning common denominator of many countries’ green transition pathways: explicit, comprehensive plans for tackling the mounting health and ecosystem impacts of Pollution are missing. Economies globally are at different stages of the green transition. In the EOS, executives were asked Short- (2 years) and long-term (10 years) risk severity score: Pollution FIGURE 2.5 Source World Economic Forum Global Risks Perception Survey 2024-2025. 10-year rank: 10ndIntroduction of harmful materials into the air, water and soil stemming from human activity, resulting in impacts to and loss of human life, ﬁnancial loss and/or damage to ecosystems. Includes, but is not limited to: household and industrial activities; environmental accidents such as oil spills; and radioactive contamination. 10-year average risk severity score: 5.1 7 High Low 6 5 4 3 2 1Severity Proportion of respondents Note Severity was assessed on a 1-7 Likert scale [1 = Low severity, 7 = High severity]. The percentages in the graphs may not add up to 100% because values have been rounded up/down.2 years 2% 2% 10 years9% 23% 24% 20% 15% 12% 5%12% 20% 26% 21% 10% Proportion of respondents Global Risks Report 2025 48