Frontiers 2017: Emerging Issues of Environmental Concern

This report presents six emerging issues of environmental concern with global implications: antimicrobial resistance, nanomaterials, marine protected areas, sand and dust storms, solar energy for off-grid settlements, and environmental displacement. It examines the environmental dimensions, impacts, and evolving responses associated with each issue, drawing on scientific research, evidence, case studies, and policy developments. The report considers how environmental contamination contributes to antimicrobial resistance, how engineered nanomaterials may affect human health and ecosystems, and how governance influences the effectiveness of marine protected areas. It also examines the drivers and impacts of sand and dust storms, the development of off-grid solar photovoltaic systems, and the links between environmental change, disasters, and human displacement.