Photo by Chirag Saini on Unsplash, Cover © German Environment Agency, 2025
The Interconnected Challenges of Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss and Environmental Pollution
Fact sheet
- Publication
- Citation
Felthöfer, C., Knoblauch, D., & Best, A. (2025). The interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution: Drivers, interdependencies and impacts of the triple planetary crisis (Fact sheet). German Federal Agency. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8070
The fact sheet explains why climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution must be understood as a systemically interconnected crisis driven by shared pressures such as resource use, land-use change and structural inequalities. It highlights how direct and indirect drivers interact across sectors and regions, creating reinforcing feedbacks and compounding risks for ecosystems and societies. A central feature of the fact sheet is its use of clear, visually engaging infographics. These illustrate the current status of the planetary boundaries, map key drivers and feedback loops of the triple crisis, and show how environmental change translates into impacts on ecosystem health, human health and socioeconomic stability. The visuals make complex interdependencies tangible and support rapid understanding for policy and practice.
The fact sheet also draws attention to unequal impacts, emphasizing that Most Affected People and Areas (MAPA), including Indigenous Peoples, women, people in poverty, migrants and small island states, bear disproportionate burdens while often having limited influence over decision-making. Concluding with key lessons learned, the factsheet underlines that addressing the triple planetary crisis requires integrated, cross-sectoral and socially just approaches that respect ecological limits while remaining politically feasible.
Contact
- Language
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English
- Authorship
- Year
- Dimension
- 9 pp.
- DOI
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- Project ID
- Keywords
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triple planetary crisis, climate change impacts, biodiversity loss, environmental pollution, planetary boundaries, systemic environmental risks, socio-economic inequalities, ecosystem and human health, integrated policy solutions, cross-sectoral strategiesGlobal South, Small Island Developing States (SIDS), arid and semi-arid regions, coastal regionssystematic literature review, keyword-based database search, SVTEEG analytical framework, MAPA perspective analysis, cross-sectoral systems analysis
Knoblauch, D., Felthöfer, C., Heni, Y., Burgos Cuevas, N., & Best, A. (2025). The Interconnected Challenges of Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss and Environmental Pollution: Drivers, Interdependencies and Impacts of the Triple Planetary Crisis. Interim report, Climate Change 82/2025. German Federal Agency. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8107.
Burgos Cuevas, N.; Heni, Y.; Spantzel, T.; Felthöfer, C.; Brunkhorst, H.; Knoblauch, D.; Riedel, A. (2025): Moving from interconnected crises to systemic solutions. Resource efficiency, nature-based solutions, and systemic transformation as responses to the complexity of the triple planetary crisis. Interim report, Climate Change 83/2025. German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8108.
Burgos Cuevas, N.; Heni, Y.; Spantzel, T.; Felthöfer, C.; Brunkhorst, H.; Knoblauch, D.; Riedel, A. (2025): Moving from interconnected crises to systemic solutions. Resource efficiency, nature-based solutions, and systemic transformation as responses to the complexity of the triple planetary crisis. Fact sheet. German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8102.
Ecologic Institute. (2025). Drivers and feedback loops of the triple planetary crisis [Infographic]. German Federal Agency.
Ecologic Institute. (2025). Impacts of the triple planetary crisis on human and ecosystem health [Infographic]. German Federal Agency.
Ecologic Institute. (2025). Current model of material use & key policy actions to address structural barriers [Infographic]. German Federal Agency.
Ecologic Institute. (2025). Examples of nature-based solutions as systemic solutions for the triple planetary crisis [Infographic]. German Federal Agency.
Iwaszuk, E.; Spantzel, T.; Kroos, F.; Knoblauch, D. (2025): Integrated Approaches to Addressing the Triple Planetary Crisis: Country Best Practices. Lessons learned from Brazil, Colombia, Japan, New Zealand, Panama, Rwanda and Sweden. Policy paper. Climate Change 81/2025, German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8106