to identify the top five risks most likely to pose the biggest threat to their respective country in the next two years. While Pollution (air, water, soil) ranks #18 of the 34 global risks, it emerges as the #1 concern in Central Asia and as a leading concern in Southern Asia (#6) and among lower-middle income economies (#11). At the country level, Pollution ranks among the top three risks in 10 countries, including Malta, Azerbaijan, Ghana, and Kosovo. Particularly in densely populated countries such as Bangladesh (#3) and India (#4), Pollution has become one of the most critical challenges to tackle (Figure 2.7). A Pollution-conscious green transition is needed. Some of the pollutants that must be accounted for in that transition are newer or emerging, not well understood, or do not yet have enough evidence of their potential impacts. Different pollutants tend to come under the regulatory spotlight only as our awareness of their profound long-term impacts on health and ecosystems grows. Better understanding these pollutants and their impacts is a first step towards both targeted policies and adaptive strategies. The pollutants can be analysed within the lenses of air, water and land - even though, once introduced, they do not remain confined to a single environmental domain but create complex, interdependent impacts. “Super pollutants” in the air Air pollutants include particulate matter (PM), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Exposure to air pollutants is a particularly severe health risk for vulnerable populations, including children, pregnant women, people with pre-existing or chronic health conditions, and the elderly.6 Air Pollution also significantly reduces work productivity, leading to increased sick days and commensurate economic losses.7 Like Pollution overall, air Pollution impacts societies unequally, with people in lower and middle-income countries exposed to higher risks.8 In 2024, people in the most polluted areas of the world were found to be breathing air at least six times more polluted than those in the least polluted areas.9 Short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), known as “super pollutants”, are a group of pollutants that remain in the atmosphere for a relatively short period of time in comparison to longer- lived GHGs.10 However, these pollutants have a disproportionately higher impact on air quality and global warming. SLCPs include mainly black carbon, methane, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and tropospheric ozone. They are responsible for up to 45% of near-term global warming.11 Speed is crucial for incorporating SLCP reductions into a Pollution- conscious green transition. Black carbon Black carbon, more commonly known as soot, is a SLCP that consists of tiny black particles that can be carried for thousands of kilometres. It is a component of PM, specifically PM2.5, which is formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Its particles can penetrate the bloodstream through the alveoli in lungs to transport toxic compounds around the body.12 PM2.5 has been linked to a wide range of health implications, including chronic Global risk interconnections: Pollution FIGURE 2.6 Source World Economic Forum Global Risks Perception Survey 2024-2025.ReferenceRisk categories Economic Environmental Geopolitical Societal Technological Critical change to Earth systems Decline in health and well-being Extreme weather events Infectious diseases Involuntary migration or displacement Natural resource shortages Critical change to Earth systems Decline in health and well-being Extreme weather events Infectious diseases Involuntary migration or displacement Natural resource shortages Edges Relative inﬂuence High LowMediumRisk inﬂuenceNodes High LowMedium Pollution Pollution Global Risks Report 2025 49