UNEP Frontiers 2016 Report: Emerging Issues of Environmental Concern

This report examines six emerging environmental issues with significant implications for ecosystems, human health, and sustainable development. It explores the role of the financial sector in advancing environmental sustainability, the links between ecosystem degradation and zoonotic diseases, the sources and impacts of microplastics in food chains, the consequences of climate change for ecosystem loss and damage, the accumulation of toxins in crops under changing climatic conditions, and the illegal trade in live animals. The report presents current scientific evidence, case studies, and examples of policy and technological responses, highlighting practical approaches to improve environmental management, strengthen resilience, reduce risks, and support informed decision-making on emerging global environmental challenges.