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ALGERIA

There is soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices, desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes and other industrial effluents are leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal waters.The Mediterranean Sea, in particular, is becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water

ANGOLA

Angola faces overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel. The resulting loss of biodiversity and soil erosion contributed to significant water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams .There are, as a consequence, inadequate supplies of potable water

ARGENTINA

Buenos Aires has a serious pollution problem. While only 3.1 million people live in the Capital Federal, there are around 12 million people - commuters, students, tourists - there every day. Other large cities suffer the same problems. IN the countryside, runoff from agriculture and manufacturing are poisoning lakes and rivers as well

AUSTRALIA

Australia has the highest per capita level of greenhouse gas emissions in the developed world, largely because of its heavy reliance on coal to generate electricity. Total emissions are now greater than those created by more highly populated countries such as France and Italy. Each person now creates 27.2 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent each year, or enough to fill 27 family homes. The figure is 27 per cent higher than the amount produced by American citizens and more than double the average figure for people living in industrialized countries.

BANGLADESH

Millions of people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land. Water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides. Ground water is contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic. There are intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country, soil degradation and erosion, deforestation and severe overpopulation.

Additionally, as Malaria was wiped out in Nepal, agriculture spread, leading ti severe deforestation. This has led to severe soil erosion, landslides, and floods affecting populations downstream. In the Gangetic plain of India and Bangladesh, thousands of people each year are reported to be killed by floods alone. Tens of thousands of cubic mud and millions of meters of topsoil are washed away into the swollen rivers and streamsand deposited into the Bay of Bengal.

BELARUS

Like virtually all former Soviet satellites, from the rivers to the agriculture, the people of Belarus live with poisoned air, water and land.  Belarus was heavily affected by the accident at the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl, which is located just over the border in neighboring Ukraine close to the Pripyat River. The nuclear accident occurred in April 1986 and 70% of the radiation is estimated to have fallen on Belarus, as prevailing winds carried the heaviest radioactive releases into Belarus. About 20% of the agricultural land in Belarus is still estimated to be contaminated, including almost all the drained area in the southern and southeastern Polesye. However, in spite of this contamination, agriculture there has not been suspended.

BELGIUM

The environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation. Air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries. Uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Problems include: air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife.

BRAZIL

There is no greater issue in Brazil than the global impact of the loss of the Amazon Rain forest. Often called the “world’s lungs”, the rain forest loses thousands of acres every day of the year to unregulated foresting, mining and agriculture. The losses in the rain forest are recognized as having a direct connection to Global Warming.

BRUNEI

Brunei needs better water and waste disposal systems. Desalinization plants are available as are water management teams such as those working in South Africa to monitor and regulate water usage so that it is available for use year round.

BULGARIA

With dust levels persistently around 55 microgrammes per cubic metre -- compared with an average of 30 mg in the rest of Europe and the maximum norm of 40 mg -- Bulgarian air ranks as the most polluted in the EU. The high level of pollution on the large number of old vehicles in Bulgaria without catalytic converters and the lack of restrictions imposed on second-hand cars imported from western Europe is part of the source. In addition, central heating and gas heating is used primarily in big cities, while smaller towns and villages still rely on coal-fired heating.

CANADA

Acid rain is a problem in eastern Canada because many of the water and soil systems in this region cannot neutralize acid naturally. Provinces that are part of the Canadian Precambrian Shield, like Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, are hardest hit because their water and soil systems cannot fight the damaging consequences of acid rain. In fact, more than half of Canada consists of susceptible hard rock (i.e., granite) areas that do not have the capacity to effectively neutralize acid rain. In Western Canada, the country suffers from growing levels of particulates that float across the atmosphere from China

CAMBODIA

Cambodia suffers from deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution and pollution from oil production wastes. High use of pesticides has lead to imbalances in natural species and growing disease levels as bats and other predators diminish.

CHINA

China is the world’s number one emitter of toxic gases into the atmosphere. It also pollutes its streams and land as well as the world’s oceans by allowing industry to freely dump waste into the land and the water. Tens of thousands of Chinese die and get sick every year from local pollutants. There is little recourse in a country where the media and the courts are all controlled by the government.

CROATIA

Like most former Communist countries, Croatia, though stable, suffers from long polluted rivers, land and air. Factories  dump waste products in rivers with no legal restrictions. Cars pollute the cities to the degree that the stars are not visible at night.

CYPRUS

Cyprus faces water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, relative to the seasonal disparity in rainfall and sea water intrusion to island's largest aquifer. There is increased salination in the north; water pollution from sewage and industrial wastes and coastal degradation and loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization

EGYPT

Agricultural land is being lost to urbanization and windblown sand,; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam and desertification. Oil pollution is threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats as well as other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and industrial effluents. There are limited natural fresh water resources away from the Nile, which is the only perennial water source which combine with a rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources. Air quality in the major cities is amongst the worst in the world.

ECUADOR

Deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands are some of the major issues.

ERITREA

Deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare.

ESTONIA

Estonia’s air is polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies in 2000 was one-20th the level of 1980; in connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations

ETHIOPIA

 In Ethiopia, there is a loss of a large amount of biomass cover, land degradation, soil erosion, and desertification. These conditions have been observed for four decades. Drought and famine that have also occurred in Ethiopia have their grass roots in the political, economical, ecological mismanagements. The UN warns that frequent fires mean Ethiopia's forests could disappear in 20 years and urgent action is needed to promote conservation.

GEORGIA

Air pollution is particularly in Rust'avi as well as heavy pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea. Inadequate supplies of potable waste and soil pollution from toxic chemicals are just some of the issues facing Georgia’s environment.

GERMANY

Emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to air pollution. Acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions is damaging forests. Pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany as well as hazardous waste disposal are amongst the issues affecting the environment in Germany.

GHANA

Recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities. Deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion, poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations. There are inadequate supplies of potable water.

GUYANA

Water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals. Deforestation

HONDURAS

Urban population expanding. Deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes. Further land degradation and soil erosion is hastened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands, mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest source of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, with heavy metals.

INDIA

India face deforestation, soil erosion, overgrazing, desertification, severe air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions. Water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides is endemic. Tap water is not potable throughout the country and the huge and growing population is overstraining natural resources

INDONESIA

Industry functions with little regard to the environment or the health of the people. Proper sewage is rare even in the outskirts of the large cities. As a result there is a high level of environmental damage from deforestation; water pollution, industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas as well as smoke and haze from forest fires.

IRAN

Iran’s industries are mostly nationalized with poor results for the environment. There is heavy air pollution especially in urban areas from vehicle emissions, refinery operations and industrial effluents. Deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste are just some of the problems. 

IRAQ

Iraq suffers from desertification, pollution, poor water and sanitation and the loss of ancient marshes ordered by Saddam Hussein in retaliation for guerrilla activity there.

Those government water control projects have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers. A once sizable population of Marsh Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife populations. There are inadequate supplies of potable water and continued air and water pollution, soil degradation (salination), erosion and desertification

ISRAEL

There is limited arable land and natural fresh water resources in Israel which poses serious constraints and leads to desertification. There is significant air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions. Groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides is a danger in much of the country

ITALY

Italy’s air pollution comes from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide, coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents, acid rain damaging lakes, inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities combine to bring significant damage to the environment.

JAPAN

Air pollution is a result of power plant emissions results in acid rain, acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life. Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources both in Asia and globally.

JORDAN

Limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification are some of the issues that are affecting the environment.

KAZAKHSTAN

There are radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with former defense industries and test ranges scattered throughout the country that pose health risks for humans and animals. Industrial pollution is severe in some cities. Because the two main rivers that flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural salts. These substances are then picked up by the wind and blown into noxious dust storms. There is also pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination from poor infrastructure as well as wasteful irrigation practices.

KENYA

Kenya suffers from water pollution from urban and industrial wastes, degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers, water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria, deforestation, soil erosion, desertification and poaching.

KOSOVO

Kosovo suffers from water pollution from urban and industrial wastes and degradation of water quality.

KYRGYZSTAN

Water pollution. Many people get their water directly from contaminated streams and wells.As a result, water-borne diseases are prevalent.

NORTH KOREA

North Korea suffers from water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation. There are no controls  on any of these issues in that county

SOUTH KOREA

South Korea has air pollution in large cities from too many automobiles and unregulated manufacturing. Acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents is also widespread/.

LAOS

Unexploded ordinance; deforestation, soil erosion. 65% of the population does not have access to potable water.

LEBANON

Deforestation; soil erosion; desertification and air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes. Pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills are some of the issues affecting the environment.

LESOTHO

Population pressures are forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion. There is desertification as well.

LIBERIA

Liberia has significant tropical rain forest deforestation, soil erosion and loss of biodiversity. There is pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage.

LIBYA

There is desertification and limited natural fresh water resources. The Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities but this has a linmited life span and could prove disastrous.

MALAYSIA

Problems include air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions, water pollution from raw sewage, deforestation and smoke/haze from large scale Indonesian forest fires.

MEXICO

Problems include scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities, rural to urban migration, natural fresh water resources being scarce and polluted in north. There is poor air quality in the center and extreme southeast. Raw sewage and industrial effluents are polluting rivers in urban areas. Deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; deteriorating agricultural lands; as well as serious air and water pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border. There is also land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion.

MOROCCO

Problems are; land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation), water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; salivation of reservoirs and oil pollution of coastal waters.

NEPAL

Issues include: deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents). There are also serious issues around wildlife conservation and vehicular emissions.

NIGERIA

Problems include: soil degradation, rapid deforestation, urban air and water pollution, desertification and oil pollution. Water, air and soil have suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land and rapid urbanization.

PAKISTAN

Problems include: water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff. There are limited natural fresh water resources and most of the population does not have access to potable water because of deforestation; soil erosion and desertification.

PANAMA

Water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources. There is deforestation of tropical rain forest, land degradation and soil erosion which threatens siltation of the Panama Canal. Heavy air pollution exists in urban areas. Mining also threatens natural resources.

PHILIPPINES

Problems include uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed areas, soil erosion, air and water pollution in major urban centers. Coral reef degradation is also a problem as well as increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds.

POLAND

The situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments. Nonetheless, air pollution remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage. Water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes.

RUSSIA

Problems include: air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants and transportation sources in major cities. There is widespread industrial, municipal and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts. There is heavy deforestation, soil erosion and soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals. There are scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination as well as groundwater contamination from toxic waste; urban solid waste management and abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides.

RWANDA

Problems include; deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel, overgrazing, soil exhaustion; soil erosion and widespread poaching.

SAUDI ARABIA

Problems are; desertification and depletion of underground water resources. The lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities. There is continued coastal pollution from oil spills.

SENEGAL

Wildlife populations are threatened by poaching. There is deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertificationn and over fishing.

SIERRA LEONE

Rapid population growth is pressuring the environment. There is over harvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture which have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion.

SERBIA

There is dense air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities. Water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube.

SOMALIA

Contaminated water contributes to human health problems. There is rampant deforestation; overgrazing, soil erosion and desertification. The only factor keeping air pollution under control is the extreme poverty of the country in general.

SOUTH AFRICA

Issues affecting the environment include: lack of  extensive water conservation of important arterial rivers or lakes. The growth in water usage is outpacing supply. Pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge and air pollution is leading to acid rain, soil erosion and desertification.

SPAIN

Problems include: pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas. Water quality and quantity nationwide are a problem. Air pollution from cars and industry as well as deforestation; desertification.

SYRIA

Problems include: deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion, desertification, water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes as well as inadequate potable water.

TANZANIA

There is severe soil degradation, deforestation and desertification. The destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats. Recent droughts affect marginal agriculture and wildlife is threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory.

TUNISIA

Problems are; toxic and hazardous waste disposal which is ineffective and poses health risks. There is also water pollution from raw sewage, limited natural fresh water resources, deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion and desertification.

TAJIKISTAN

Issues include: inadequate sanitation facilities, increasing levels of soil salinity, industrial pollution and excessive pesticides.

THAILAND

Environmental issues include: air pollution from vehicle and industrial emissions, water pollution from organic and factory wastes, deforestation, soil erosion and wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting.

TURKEY

There is: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents. Turkey also suffers from air pollution, particularly in urban areas. There is deforestation and increasing oil spills from growing Bosporus ship traffic.

TURKMENISTAN

Environmental issues include: contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals, pesticides and salination. Water logging of soil is due to poor irrigation method. There is Caspian Sea pollution and diversion of a large share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation which contributes to that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea.

TAIWAN

Problems include: heavy air pollution, water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage and  contamination of drinking water supplies. There is unregulated trade in endangered species. The island also faces low-level radioactive waste disposal.

UGANDA

Environmental issues include: draining of wetlands for agricultural use, deforestation; overgrazing, soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria and widespread poaching.

UKRAINE

There are: inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution deforestation as well as radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Environmental issues include a lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants. There is also desertification; beach pollution from oil spills.

UNITED KINGDOM

Like most first world countries, the UK continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and intends to meet the legally binding target and move toward a domestic goal of a 20% cut in emissions by 2010). By 2005 the government had reduced the amount of industrial and commercial waste disposed of in landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and recycled or composted at least 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015, However, as a leading polluter, the country has much to do to maintain progress and keep moving forward.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

As a first world country, the US is a huge polluter. There is air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada. The US – along with China are the two largest emitters of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels. There is water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers. Limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management. The US produces only 10% of the world’s oil but uses 40% of the world’s production.

UZBEKISTAN

Problems include: shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts. These substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification, water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides which is the cause of many human health disorders. There is increasing soil salination and soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT.

VENEZUELA

Problems are; sewage pollution in Lago de Valencia, oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo. Deforestation, soil degradation and urban and industrial pollution are especially heavy along the Caribbean coast where there are also threats to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations.

VIETNAM

Problems include; logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices which contribute to deforestation and soil degradation. Water pollution and overfishing threaten marine life populations. Groundwater contamination limits potable water supply. Growing urban industrialization and population migration are rapidly degrading the environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

YEMEN

There are limited natural fresh water resources, inadequate supplies of potable water,; overgrazing, soil erosion and desertification.

ZAMBIA

Problems include: air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region, chemical runoff into watersheds and poaching which seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations. There is deforestation, soil erosion, desertification and lack of adequate water treatment which presents human health risks.

ZIMBABWE

Problems include: air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region, chemical runoff into watersheds as well as deforestation and desertification. There is a significant lack of adequate water treatment which presents health risks nationwide.