Environmental Problems

THE BIG SMOG: CITIES PLAGUED BY AIR POLLUTION

Ulan Bator, Mongolia

Ulan Bator is not only one of the coldest capitals on earth, it's also a city with massive air pollution. During the winter months, yurts like Tsegi’s are heated with coal and wood which contributes up to 70 percent of the smog in the city. Air pollution in Ulan Bator is seven times higher than what is considered safe by the WHO.

123456789

 

2. Deforestation.

Problem: Species-rich wild forests are being destroyed, especially in the tropics, often to make way for cattle ranching, soybean or palm oil plantations, or other agricultural monocultures.

Today, about 30 percent of the planet's land area is covered by forests - which is about half as much as before agriculture got started around 11,000 years ago. About 7.3 million hectares (18 million acres) of forest are destroyed each year, mostly in the tropics. Tropical forests used to cover about 15 percent of the planet's land area; they're now down to 6 or 7 percent. Much of this remainder has been degraded by  logging or burning.

Not only do natural forests act as biodiversity reserves, they are also carbon sinks, keeping carbon out of the atmosphere and oceans.

Solutions: Conserve of what's left of natural forests, and restore degraded areas by replanting with native tree species. This requires strong governance - but many tropical countries are still developing, with increasing populations, uneven rule-of-law, and widespread cronyism and bribery when it comes to allocating land use.

Picture gallery: Burning down the Amazon

•