List of global issues facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

A global issue is a big problem that affects people all over the world. These are not just small local problems, but challenges that many countries face together. They can be about social issues (how people live together), economic issues (money and jobs), or environmental issues (our planet). Organizations like the United Nations (UN) and the World Economic Forum keep track of these important global challenges.

Big Risks for the World

Some problems are so huge they could cause a lot of damage to the world or even end life as we know it. Many of these big risks are caused by human actions.

Losing different kinds of plants and animals: This is called biodiversity loss. It means many species are disappearing forever.
Changes in Earth's weather: Climate change is causing our planet's temperature to rise, leading to more extreme weather and other problems.
Harmful Artificial Intelligence: This is when AI becomes so advanced it could cause serious damage or problems for humans.
Huge Environmental Problems: These are disasters that severely harm the environment, often caused by human activity.
Nuclear War: A nuclear war would involve many countries using nuclear weapons, which could destroy much of the world.
Widespread Diseases: A pandemic is a disease that spreads very quickly across many countries, affecting a huge number of people.
Risks from New Technology: Biotechnology involves changing living things, and sometimes this can have unintended risks.
Tiny Machines Gone Wrong: Molecular nanotechnology involves creating incredibly tiny machines. There's a theoretical risk they could multiply out of control.
Society Breaking Down: Societal collapse means that a society's systems (like government, economy, or food supply) stop working, leading to chaos.

The United Nations' List of Global Issues

The United Nations (UN) is an organization where countries work together to solve global problems. Here are some of the most important issues they are focusing on right now:

Helping Africa

Many parts of Africa face challenges like poverty, diseases, desertification (land turning into desert), and malnutrition (not enough good food). The UN works with African countries to help solve these problems and prevent conflicts.

An Aging World

More and more people around the world are living longer. This means there are more older people than ever before. Societies need to make sure they can support and care for their older citizens.

Fighting AIDS

AIDS is a serious disease caused by the HIV virus. The UN works to prevent HIV from spreading, help people living with HIV, and make sure pregnant women with HIV don't pass it to their babies.

Nuclear Energy and Weapons

The UN works to control nuclear weapons and make sure countries use atomic energy safely for things like power, not for bombs. They also deal with nuclear waste, which is the dangerous leftover material from nuclear power plants.

Using Data for a Better Future

Big data means using huge amounts of information to help countries develop in a way that lasts, called sustainable development. The UN uses technology to track progress on goals like ending poverty and protecting the environment.

Keeping Kids Safe Online

With more kids using the internet, there are new dangers like cyberbullying and online child abuse. The UN works to make the internet a safer place for children and young people.

Protecting Children

Many children around the world face tough situations like poverty, child labor (being forced to work), and abuse. The UN's United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works to protect children's rights, ensure they get an education, and have enough food.

Tackling Climate Change

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges. It's about how our actions, like burning fossil fuels, are changing the Earth's climate. The UN helps countries work together to reduce their carbon footprint and find ways to deal with the changes already happening.

Fairness for All Countries

Some countries were once controlled by other, more powerful nations. The UN works to ensure fairness and independence for these countries, so they are not exploited.

Spreading Democracy

Democracy is a way of governing where people have a say in their leaders and laws. The UN supports countries that are trying to become more democratic and protect human rights.

Getting Rid of Dangerous Weapons

Disarmament means reducing or getting rid of dangerous weapons, especially weapons of mass destruction like chemical or biological weapons. The UN works to make the world safer by encouraging countries to give up these weapons.

Ending Poverty

A major goal for the UN is to end poverty everywhere. They work to measure poverty and help countries create programs that lift people out of extreme hardship.

Food for Everyone

The UN aims to end world hunger and make sure everyone has enough safe and healthy food. They also promote sustainable agriculture, which means farming in a way that doesn't harm the environment.

Equality for All Genders

Gender equality means that all people, no matter their gender, have the same rights and opportunities. The UN works to empower women and girls and fight against discrimination.

Global Health

The UN works to improve health around the world, focusing on issues like maternal health (health of mothers during pregnancy and childbirth) and fighting diseases.

Human Rights for All

Human rights are basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person. The UN works to protect these rights and stop human rights violations from happening.

International Laws and Justice

The UN helps create and uphold international laws that countries agree to follow. This includes laws against war crimes and discrimination, and working towards justice for everyone.

People Moving Around the World

International migration is about people moving from one country to another, often for work, safety, or a better life. The UN helps manage this movement and protect the rights of migrants.

Protecting Our Oceans and Water

The UN works to protect our oceans from marine pollution and create rules for how countries use the seas. They also focus on water scarcity (not enough water), water pollution, and making sure everyone has access to clean water.

Peace and Security

A main goal of the UN is to keep peace and security around the globe. They send peacekeeping missions to help prevent conflicts and protect people in war-torn areas.

Supporting People with Disabilities

The UN works to ensure that people with disabilities are not discriminated against and have the same opportunities as everyone else. They promote universal design, which means making places and products accessible for all.

World Population

The UN looks at how the world population is growing and what that means for resources and the environment. They also address concerns about overpopulation in some areas.

Helping Refugees

Refugees are people who have been forced to leave their homes because of war, persecution, or natural disasters. The UN's United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) helps these people find safety and new homes.

Fighting Terrorism

Terrorism is the use of violence to scare people and governments to achieve political goals. The UN works with countries to fight terrorism and prevent attacks.

The Power of Volunteering

Volunteerism is when people freely offer their time and skills to help others or a cause. The UN encourages volunteering as a way to solve problems and build stronger communities.

The UN also has a set of goals called the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as The Global Goals. These goals were set in 2016 and aim to solve many of the world's biggest problems by 2030, like ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring peace and prosperity for all.

World Economic Forum's Top Issues

The World Economic Forum is an organization that brings together leaders from business, government, and other areas to discuss global issues, especially those related to the economy. In 2016, they listed their top 10 most pressing issues:

Food security: Making sure everyone has enough safe and healthy food.
Inclusive growth: Making sure that economic growth benefits everyone, not just a few.
Future of work/unemployment: How jobs will change with new technology and how to make sure people have work.
Climate change: The ongoing changes to Earth's climate.
Financial crises: Big problems in the world's money systems.
Future of the internet/Fourth Industrial Revolution: How technology like AI and robotics will change our lives.
Gender equality: Ensuring equal rights and opportunities for all genders.
Global trade and investment: How countries trade goods and services, and the rules around it.
Long-term investment: How to invest money in ways that help the world in the long run.
Future healthcare: How to make sure everyone has access to good healthcare.

Global Environmental Issues

Environmental issues are problems that affect our planet and its natural systems. These issues are often connected to each other. For example, losing forests (deforestation) and pollution are often caused by too many people (overpopulation), and these problems then harm the variety of life on Earth (biodiversity).

Here are some of the most important environmental problems:

Using Too Many Resources: Overconsumption happens when we use more natural resources (like water, trees, or minerals) than the Earth can naturally replace.
Too Many People: Overpopulation means there are too many people on the planet for its resources to support in a sustainable way.
Losing Different Kinds of Life: Biodiversity loss is the disappearance of many different types of plants, animals, and other living things.
Cutting Down Forests: Deforestation is when large areas of forest are cut down, often for farming or building, which harms the environment and wildlife.
Land Turning into Desert: Desertification is when fertile land becomes dry and barren like a desert, often due to climate change or poor land use.
Earth Getting Hotter: Global warming and climate change refer to the long-term rise in Earth's average temperature, leading to big changes in weather patterns.
Destroying Natural Homes: Habitat destruction is when the natural places where animals and plants live are destroyed, often by human activities like building or farming.
Mass Extinction: The Holocene extinction is the ongoing extinction event caused by human activity, where many species are disappearing much faster than usual.
Oceans Becoming More Acidic: Ocean acidification is when the ocean absorbs too much carbon dioxide from the air, making it more acidic and harmful to marine life.
Thinning Ozone Layer: Ozone depletion is when the ozone layer in Earth's atmosphere, which protects us from harmful sun rays, gets thinner.
Making Things Dirty: Pollution is when harmful substances are put into the environment, making air, water, or land dirty and unsafe.
- Waste and How to Get Rid of It: This includes all the trash we create and how we manage waste disposal.
- Dirty Water: Water pollution is when harmful chemicals or waste get into rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Running Out of Resources: Resource depletion means we are using up natural resources faster than they can be replaced.
Cities Spreading Out: Urban sprawl is when cities grow outwards, taking up more land and often leading to more driving and less green space.