The latest international scientific reports leave little room for doubt, the planet is going through an unprecedented environmental crisis and the time to act is rapidly narrowing. Climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation and pollution already generate economic and social impacts on a global scale. But, beyond alarming statements, science also affirms that it is still possible to avoid the worst scenarios.
In December 2025, nearly 300 scientists from 82 countries presented in Nairobi the seventh edition of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7), prepared by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The report, considered the most comprehensive analysis carried out so far on the state of the global environment, warns that environmental degradation already costs trillions of dollars each year and threatens to intensify if the current development model is not modified.
The document arrives at a particularly critical time. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) State of the Global Climate Report 2024 confirmed that 2024 was likely the first year to exceed the threshold of 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. The global average temperature reached 1.55 °C above the average recorded between 1850 and 1900, becoming the warmest year in 175 years of observations.
Far from being an isolated episode, scientists emphasize that each of the last ten years is already among the ten warmest in history. Added to this is another worrying indicator: the oceans have recorded record levels of heat accumulation for eight consecutive years.
A global crisis
The climate crisis is no longer perceived as a distant threat. Its effects are visible on all continents and directly affect millions of people. During 2024, tropical cyclones, floods, droughts and other extreme events caused the highest number of human displacements in the last sixteen years. They also aggravated food crises and generated multimillion-dollar economic losses. At the same time, the combination of conflict, drought and rising food prices intensified food insecurity in at least eighteen countries.
According to the United Nations, between 20% and 40% of the world’s land surface is degraded. The Amazon shows increasing signs of deterioration due to deforestation, rising temperatures and water stress. At the same time, air pollution continues to be the main environmental risk factor for human health. Currently, 99% of the world’s population breathes polluted air, with an estimated economic impact of $8.1 trillion annually.
In November 2025, UNEP also published its Emissions Gap Report 2025, titled Off Target. The document concludes that, even if countries fully comply with their current climate commitments, global warming would be between 2.3 and 2.5 degrees by the end of the century.
Although the forecasts improve slightly compared to previous reports, experts consider that they remain incompatible with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, summed up the situation with a strong message: “We have just endured a decade of lethal heat. The ten warmest years in history have occurred in the last ten years. This is climate breakdown in real time.”
The benefits of acting
One of the main contributions of GEO-7 is to put figures on the economic impact of environmental degradation. According to the report, climate change could reduce annual global GDP by 4% by 2050 and up to 20% by the end of the century if urgent action is not taken. The loss of fertile soil, the destruction of ecosystems and the increase in extreme events would have direct consequences on the world economy.
However, the report insists that acting on time is still cost-effective. An accelerated transition towards a sustainable development model could prevent more than nine million premature deaths each year, lift 150 million people out of extreme poverty and significantly reduce global hunger. Furthermore, the accumulated economic benefits of this transformation could reach $100 trillion annually by the end of the century.
Five systems to reverse the crisis
In order to reverse the environmental crisis, GEO-7 identifies five interconnected systems that must be transformed simultaneously to reverse the global environmental crisis.
The first is the economic and financial system. The United Nations proposes moving towards models that do not measure progress solely through GDP, but also through environmental and social indicators. The investment required is enormous but proportionate to the benefits, GEO-7 estimates that 8 trillion dollars are needed annually until 2050 to achieve climate and biodiversity objectives.
The second is the energy system. The decarbonization of energy production remains the central axis of any climate strategy, supported by the growth of renewable energies, with solar and wind energy booming and the reduction of fossil fuels.
Companies like Naturgy, one of the main energy companies in Spain, have assumed a leadership role in the transition towards a more sustainable and decarbonized energy model. Its strategy covers both the expansion of its generation capacity from renewable sources and the development of innovative technologies, essential to reduce emissions and promote efficient use of resources. Naturgy is committed – making strategic investments – to both the generation of clean electricity and the production of biomethane and green hydrogen.
The third interconnected system is the food system, responsible for a substantial part of global emissions and land use. Reducing food waste, promoting more sustainable diets and improving agricultural circularity are measures with enormous environmental and social impact, according to the report. The fourth is materials and waste management, which requires moving towards circular economies where products are designed to last, repair and recycle, breaking the linear logic of extracting, using and discarding that dominates the current production model.
And finally, the fifth – perhaps the most urgent in terms of reversibility – is the protection and restoration of ecosystems. Scientists believe that conserving forests, oceans and soils will be key to stopping environmental deterioration and preserving biodiversity.
Adapt to an irreversible reality
Along with reducing emissions, adaptation has become another urgent priority. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warns that rising sea levels and warming oceans will have irreversible effects for centuries or even millennia. This especially forces coastal communities and small island states to rethink infrastructure and development models.
Furthermore, only half of countries currently have adequate early warning systems for extreme weather events, a lack that increases the exposure of millions of people to climate disasters.
The message from the scientific community is clear, the damage is already serious and part of its consequences will be irreversible. However, there is still room to avoid the most extreme scenarios if rapid and coordinated measures are taken.