List of global issues


A global issue is a matter of public concern worldwide. This list of global issues presents problems or phenomena affecting people around the world, including but not limited to widespread social issues, economic issues, and environmental issues. Organizations that maintain or have published an official list of global issues include the United Nations, and the World Economic Forum.

Global catastrophic risks

Not all of these risks are independent, because the majority, if not all of them are a result of human activity.

United Nations list

The UN has listed issues that it deems to be the most pressing as of 2023:
CategoryIssuesRelevant UN directives/initiatives
Africapoverty, diseases, desertification, malnutrition, regional conflict, Corruption, UnemploymentOffice of the Special Adviser on Africa, African Union, New Partnership for Africa’s Development, United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur
Ageingageing population, demographic transitionVienna International [Plan of Action on Ageing], United Nations Principles for Older Persons, Proclamation on Ageing, International Year of Older Persons
AIDSPrevention of HIV/AIDS, HIV and pregnancy, HIV/AIDS denialismJoint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, The Global Fund to Fight [AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria]
Atomic energynuclear weapons, nuclear wasteInternational Atomic Energy Agency, Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
Big data for sustainable developmentApplying ICTs to sustainable developmentsupporting and tracking the Sustainable Development Goals
Child and youth safety onlineFighting cyberbullying, online child abuse and human trafficking of children
ChildrenChild poverty,
Child labour, Child abuse, Child mortality, Global education		Education First, United Nations Children’s Fund, World Food Programme, Global Education First Initiative
Climate changeCarbon footprint of the human race, Climate change mitigationKyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, United Nations Climate Change conference
DecolonizationexploitationUnited Nations Special Committee on Decolonization, United Nations Trust Territories, International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism
DemocracydemocratizationUniversal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, UNDP, UNDEF, DPKO, DPA, OHCHR, UN Women
Disarmamentweapons of mass destruction, chemical and biological weapons, conventional weapons, landmines and small armsUnited Nations Office for [Disarmament Affairs]
Ending povertyMeasuring povertySustainable Development Goal #1: No poverty
Foodworld hunger, sustainable agriculture, food security, safety, food riotsSustainable Development Goal #2: Zero hunger, Food and Agriculture Organization, World Food Programme
Gender equalityWomen's rights, global feminismCommission on the Status of Women, Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
Healthmaternal health, extreme povertyMillennium Development Goals
Human rightshuman rights violationsUniversal Declaration of Human Rights
International law and justicewar crimes, discrimination, state-corporate crimeInternational Law Commission, Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Convention on the Rights of the Child, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
International migrationHuman migrationInternational Organization for Migration
Oceans and the Law of the Sea marine pollution, ocean governanceUnited Nations Conference on the Human Environment, Convention on the Prevention of Marine [Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter]
Peace and securityUnited Nations peacekeeping, List of [United Nations peacekeeping missions], Peacebuilding Commission
People with disabilitiesdiscrimination, lack of universal designConvention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Populationoverpopulation, world populationUNFPA
Refugees United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration,
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
TerrorismComprehensive Convention on International Terrorism
VolunteerismUnited Nations Volunteers
Water water scarcity, water conflict, water privatization, water pollutionUN-Water, System of Environmental and Economic Accounting for Water, Water for Life Decade, International Recommendations on Water Statistics, United Nations Water Conference, Millennium Development Goals, International Conference on Water and the Environment, Earth Summit

As part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UN Millennium Development Goals were superseded by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which are also known as The Global Goals. There are associated Targets and Indicators for each Global Goal.

World Economic Forum List

In keeping with their economy-centered view, the World Economic Forum formulated a list of 10 most pressing points in 2016:
  1. Food security
  2. Inclusive growth
  3. Future of work/unemployment
  4. Climate change
  5. 2008 financial crisis
  6. Future of the internet/Fourth Industrial Revolution
  7. Gender equality
  8. Global trade and investment and regulatory frameworks
  9. Long-term investment/Investment strategy
  10. Future healthcare

Global environmental issues

No single issue can be analysed, treated, or isolated from the others. For example, habitat loss and climate change adversely affect biodiversity. Deforestation and pollution are direct consequences of overpopulation and both, in turn, affect biodiversity. While overpopulation locally leads to rural flight, this is more than counterbalanced by accelerating urbanization and urban sprawl. Theories like the world-system theory and the Gaia hypothesis focus on the inter-dependency aspect of environmental and economic issues. Among the most evident environmental problems are:

Literature