Global Scans · Environment · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT:? Our natural environment is under ever-increasing threat. Landscape and ocean adaptation plus stabilizing biodiversity strategies will play an important role in maintaining global food productivity as climate changes. Evidence is mounting that any economic strategy that ignores carbon pollution will impose tremendous costs on the global economy and will result in fewer jobs and less economic growth over the long term. The global market for commercial "Earth observation" data is expected to hit $3.5 billion by 2024. Battles over environmental regulation could become particularly pointed in the coming years.

• [New] As air pollution is a real, systemic risk connected to climate change, nature loss and human rights, addressing it is fundamental to protecting people and planet and building lasting value across portfolios. ShareAction
• [New] Emerging markets are at the epicenter of climate risks, with regions like Africa, South Asia, Central and South America, and small island states facing the brunt of environmental hazards. Council Fire
• [New] Climate change and environmental degradation remain the biggest threats facing the world over the next decade. Big3Africa.org
• [New] Extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, and critical change to earth systems make up the top long-term (over the next decade) risks for respondents. FM Magazine
• [New] The Environmental Protection Agency will no longer calculate the health benefits of reducing air pollution when justifying clean air rules. Planetizen
• [New] Dubai will remain an open environment for talent, creative minds, and high value investments from around the world, and a platform for future technologies that enhance quality of life and reinforce Dubai's position among the world's most future-ready cities. ARN News Centre
• [New] The Digital Omnibus is part of the European Commission's deregulation agenda, which threatens key social and environmental standards in Europe. Corporate Europe Observatory
• [New] Underwriters will need to navigate a tighter regulatory environment in 2026: climate risk must be acknowledged in underwriting strategies, and AI-driven processes will face new compliance checks. Markel
• [New] Poor and middle-income countries face the highest costs from environmental risks, even though they have contributed the least to global environmental damage. Down To Earth
• [New] Five out of the top 10 long-term risks are environmental, highlighting what the WEF refers to as their existential nature, which will be most intensely experienced in developing countries. Down To Earth
• [New] Extreme weather events rank as the top global risk through to 2036, followed closely by biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, and critical changes to Earth systems. Down To Earth
• [New] Whether optimizing ore extraction, reducing operational risks, or meeting rising global demand for critical minerals and gemstones, smart mining is the future-ready response to an era of rapid Industrialization and environmental constraints. Farmonaut
• [New] Decarbonization: Electrification, renewable energy, and low-carbon fleet conversion will further lower mining's environmental footprint by 2030. Farmonaut
• [New] Melting ice is opening new maritime routes, such as the Northern Sea Route, destined to impact the balance of global trade, while simultaneously increasing strategic competition and environmental risks. Agenzia Nova
• [New] Concerns piled up: risks of spills in fragile ecosystems, reputational damage amid rising climate activism, high insurance costs, patchy port infrastructure, and an unpredictable regulatory environment shaped by Russian authorities and changing ice regimes. India Shipping News
• [New] Globally, negotiations toward a UN Global Plastics Treaty will continue in 2026, advancing efforts toward achieving a legally binding international agreement to address plastic pollution. Recycling Product News
• [New] A runaway cascade of collisions would have devastating economic impacts and could create a debris field making orbits unusable for centuries, potentially limiting our ability to leave the Earth. EY
• [New] Space junk falling out of orbit and crashing toward Earth is a growing threat. CNN
• [New] Every new object added to low Earth orbit increases the risk of interference with existing constellations. Vinylone
• [New] The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy could potentially help make up for federal air quality rollbacks, but it could be challenging to find the capacity and political will to act quickly enough. BridgeDetroit
• [New] Human health will no longer be factored into US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cost-benefit calculations of air pollution. The BMJ
• [New] Costs to industry will be the EPA's focus when assessing the impact of regulations surrounding PM2.5 and ozone, two major forms of air pollution. The BMJ
• [New] The One Health framework underscores the importance of incorporating human, environmental, and vector dimensions, arguing that the complexity of dengue requires models capable of addressing multiple layers of risk. PubMed Central (PMC)

Last updated: 24 January 2026