Governments should take greater account of the links between climate, biodiversity and pollution

On 27 March 2026, our FPS organised the Belgian launch of an important OECD report on the triple planetary crisis: climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. The crises will get worse and worse, but governments can act much more effectively if they take the interconnected nature of those crises into account.

The world's population and economic growth has led to a triple crisis. Because not only our climate is changing rapidly before our very eyes, but biodiversity is also suffering greatly, whilst pollution – including from plastics – is taking on phenomenal proportions.

These three crises are actually reinforcing each other, even though their interconnectedness also offers opportunities. Indeed, governments are actually in a position to commit to measures that address two or three crises at the same time. Or at the very least, they should prevent situations in which a measure implemented in response to one crisis actually exacerbates others. Consider, for example, the transition towards renewable energy, which forms part of our efforts to combat climate disruption, and its effects on nature.

In its recent Environmental Outlook on the Triple Planetary Crisis, the OECD – the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development – presented an in-depth analysis of this complex issue.
 

The future

First, the report looked at the situation that awaits us by 2050 compared to 2020.

• It suggests that global GDP will more than double.
• Environmental pressures will also continue to increase. The report also predicts that agriculture will take up a lot of extra land. And although renewable energy is expected to more than double (to 209 exajoules), the use of fossil fuel will also increase by 16% (to 541 exajoules). Finally, the use of primary resources is also set to grow by more than half, including water (17% more).
• Whilst technical advances and changes in behaviour can certainly temper that growth somewhat, they cannot stop it. Increased demand for energy, food, water and raw materials is inevitable.

As a result of this, the triple crisis will continue to worsen. The report predicts that:

• global temperatures, which had risen by 1.2 °C in 2020, will have increased by 2.1 °C in 2050.
• land-based biodiversity will continue to decline (an equivalent of 4 million km² of pristine nature will be lost).
• air and water pollution will significantly increase (the emissions of ammonia, for example, will increase by 43%). More plastic will leak into the environment: from 22 million tons (2020) to 37 million tons (2050). Concentrations of fine particulate, ozone and sulphur dioxide are projected to decline.
   

Recommendations

Because governments are still failing to take the interconnectedness of the three crises sufficiently into account, the report proposes a number of recommendations. For example, research funding should be more effectively and more coherently aligned with the three crises. Much greater account also needs to be taken of the impact of pollution on climate and biodiversity.

The report further states that:

• more attention should be paid to the impact that the transition towards renewable energy is having on biodiversity and pollution. We need to be able to process end-of-life solar panels and wind turbines more effectively, for example.
• work needs to be done to create a full-fledged circular economy that is also more resource-efficient.
• the production and consumption of food need to be more environmentally friendly. For instance, reducing emissions, facilitating a more plant-based diet and reducing amounts of food waste.

Engaging discussions

The presentation of the report at the Egmont Palace on 27 March 2026 attracted an extensive and diverse audience: from NGOs, academics and representatives from the private sector to administrative bodies on a global, European, federal, regional and municipal level. By holding this event, our FPS wanted to raise awareness of that important report.

The engaging discussions – including a panel discussion with a diverse delegation – provided some interesting ideas. For example, one participant noted that the social aspects must also be included. If not, you will never get people on board with the story. And shouldn't the polluters themselves, which are often companies, also play a bigger part?

Are governments sufficiently aware of the fact that environmental crises are also a security problem? In addition, we must do away with the idea that nature is an expense; investing in nature actually pays off! And securing supplies should not be our sole concern. We must also take action to limit demand.
 

Belgium is making efforts

Belgium is already making efforts to consider the triple crisis as a whole and in a way that includes their social aspects. Our international cooperation is therefore based on the fact that climate action and development are two sides of the same coin.

“Investing in clean energy, climate-resilient agriculture and nature-based solutions does more than reduce emissions – it creates jobs, improves health and lifts communities out of poverty,” said Annemie Van der Avort – Director Environment and Climate of our FPS – at the start of the session.

Furthermore, Belgium's Climate Risk Assessment Centre (CERAC) – which was present at the launch – is studying how various environmental crises influence each other and together have effects upon Belgium's safety, health and economy.

We are working extremely hard to achieve an ambitious Plastics Treaty and we are increasingly applying the ‘Do No Significant Harm’ principle. This means that we rule out policies and investments that could cause significant harm to the environment.
 

A sense of urgency

We hope that the launch helped to create the much-needed sense of urgency. Because we know how to do it: the OECD report sets in great detail out how to mitigate the effects of the triple crisis.

What we need now is political will, long-term investments and a coherent policy that cuts across silo-based approaches. If these are not forthcoming, a world awaits us in which living conditions will be significantly less comfortable than they are today.