Frontiers 2022: Noise, Blazes and Mismatches

Authors: UNEP

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) works to identify and draw attention to emerging issues of environmental concern. The UNEP Frontiers’ report continues to advance this work, signaling environmental issues and solutions for effective and timely responses. Some issues may be local, relatively small-scale issues today, but may have the potential to become an issue of regional or global concern if not addressed early.

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What emerging issues are presented in the 2022 edition of the Frontiers report: Noise, Blazes and Mismatches?

The chapter titled Listening to Cities: From Noisy Environments to Positive Soundscapes draws attention to noise pollution and its long-term physical and mental health impacts, along with measures that can be implemented to create positive and restorative soundscapes in urban areas.
The chapter titled Wildfires Under Climate Change: A Burning Issue discusses the role of climate change and human influence in the changing wildfire regimes around the world, the impacts of wildfires on the environment and human health, and the measures that can help to prevent, respond and build resilience to wildfires.
The chapter titled Phenology: Climate Change Is Shifting the Rhythm of Nature looks at how climate change is disrupting the life cycle patterns of plant and animal species, its consequences, and the need to address this issue by restoring ecological connectivity and biological diversity and most importantly, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Further Resources

Emerging environmental issues that we should be paying attention to

Since 2016, UNEP’s Frontiers Reports have cast a spotlight on emerging environmental issues. This year’s edition, Noise, Blazes and Mismatches, looks at three concerns: urban soundscapes, wildfires and phenological shifts.

Interactive feature

It’s easy to overlook noise pollution. But sounds like traffic, construction, and security alarms – collectively known as urban soundscapes – can cause long-term physical and mental health issues.