In a groundbreaking global study conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, new evidence reveals an alarming reality for over 7.7 billion people worldwide: more than 99% of the global population currently face threats to their environmental rights. Published in the acclaimed journal Environmental Research Communications, this study represents the most exhaustive analysis ever undertaken on environmental inequality across the planet. It identifies and quantifies how air pollution, unsafe water, extreme heat, food insecurity, and biodiversity loss have collectively imperiled the fundamental human right to a healthy environment.
Amidst mounting concerns of environmental degradation affecting social stability, this analysis underscores the urgent necessity for robust climate interventions. Nearly half the global population—amounting to 3.4 billion persons—reside in regions simultaneously impacted by three or more critical environmental hazards, a statistic highlighting a crisis of unprecedented scale. The comprehensive datasets meticulously assembled by doctoral student Naia Ormaza-Zulueta and data scientist Zia Mehrabi allowed them to precisely gauge the extent to which these conditions violate the United Nations’ five core environmental rights that were formally recognized in 2022 but remain unenforceable under international law.
The research elucidates the inequities embedded in environmental degradation, revealing disparities not only in exposure but also in severity and impact across different populations. Clean air pollution was the most pervasive violation globally, deteriorating the health and safety of billions, followed closely by threats to access to nutritious and sustainably produced food. These challenges are compounded by other environmental stressors, such as unsafe water and biodiversity loss, which variously converge in multiple vulnerable regions, intensifying human suffering and exacerbating social inequities.
The consequences of environmental harm extend beyond local or national boundaries, a fact evident in the study’s identification of “hotspots” where international drivers aggravate domestic environmental crises. For example, South Asia is disproportionately burdened, accounting for 41% of the world’s population facing all five environmental threats. Meanwhile, pollution emanating from affluent industrialized countries exacts a profound toll on distant nations; emissions from the United States kill thousands annually in India and China, while European Union countries’ carbon footprints have increased extreme climate events in Southeast Africa and the Amazon rainforest.
This transboundary nature of environmental degradation spotlights the intrinsic interconnectedness of human rights on a global level. The research highlights how consumption and industrial practices in wealthy nations precipitate environmental injustices for vulnerable populations elsewhere. For instance, demand-driven deforestation in the Amazon rainforest disrupts ecosystems critical to global climate stability and biodiversity, amplifying extreme weather risks worldwide. This ripple effect reveals that environmental rights violations cannot be effectively addressed without accounting for the global supply chain and consumption patterns.
Locally, even environments perceived as pristine are not immune. Colorado’s own air quality, notably in Boulder, experiences dangerously high ozone levels linked predominantly to vehicular emissions and oil and gas operations. Despite assumptions of clean mountain air, persistent summer pollution contributes to over 800 premature deaths annually in the state alone. This regional example serves as a microcosm of the broader global crisis, illustrating how industrial activities directly threaten human health and violate environmental rights even in developed countries.
Compounding the environmental threats are stark socio-economic disparities. Marginalized communities—those with lower income, displaced persons, and Indigenous peoples—experience more severe exposures to polluted air, unsafe water, and extreme heat compared to wealthier groups. These disparities reflect systemic inequalities that exacerbate vulnerability and limit adaptive capacity, underscoring environmental injustice as a deeply embedded facet of global inequality.
The study also brings to light the insufficiency of current legal frameworks in protecting environmental rights internationally. Despite the UN’s landmark resolution affirming everyone’s right to a healthy environment, this declaration lacks binding enforcement mechanisms, enabling many countries and corporations to disregard their responsibilities. Researchers advocate for global policies, such as robust due diligence laws exemplified by nations like the Netherlands, France, and Germany, which mandate corporations to respect human rights throughout their international operations.
Moreover, the environmental issues explored within this research represent just a portion of the challenges humanity faces. The five core areas assessed—air, water, climate, food, and biodiversity—omit other critical problems, including toxic exposures from mining activities, plastic pollution, and chemical contaminants, all of which further imperil human health and the environment. This broader context emphasizes the need for comprehensive and integrative policy responses.
Addressing these converging crises demands multi-faceted solutions, from advancing clean energy technologies to reforming supply chains for sustainability and justice. The researchers stress the importance of policy frameworks that incentivize corporate responsibility and community empowerment while safeguarding environmental rights. These systemic measures are crucial for mitigating environmental degradation and reducing the disproportionate burdens borne by vulnerable communities worldwide.
Lastly, this research serves as a powerful tool for activists, legal advocates, and policymakers by transforming isolated environmental complaints into a cohesive global narrative. By documenting these patterns and their human impacts at scale, the findings strengthen calls for urgent, equitable climate action. According to Ormaza-Zulueta, this evidence-based approach dismantles denial and compels recognition of environmental rights violations as universal concerns necessitating collective solutions.
The team’s work culminates in a clarion call for global solidarity and decisive action, reminding us that environmental rights are inextricably linked and that sustainable, equitable futures depend on recognizing and respecting these connections. As the world prepares for COP30 in Brazil, this comprehensive analysis lends critical insights and urgency to international climate negotiations, underscoring the profound human stakes at the heart of environmental protection.
Subject of Research: Inequality in Global Environmental Conditions and Threats to Human Rights
Article Title: Nearly Everyone’s Environmental Rights Are Threatened: A Global Analysis of Environmental Inequality
News Publication Date: 25-Sep-2025
Web References: DOI: 10.1088/2515-7620/ae0407
Image Credits: Naia Ormaza-Zulueta and Zia Mehrabi/CU Boulder
Keywords: Environmental Rights, Air Pollution, Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, Environmental Inequality, Human Rights, Climate Justice, Global Supply Chains, Environmental Policy, Clean Air, Food Security, Indigenous Peoples
