The European Union approved continued exports of hundreds of thousands of tons of plastic waste to Turkey annually, despite evidence of environmental damage that may violate EU regulations. Turkey remains the EU's largest waste market, receiving over a third of exported plastic waste, though concerns persist about monitoring and proper treatment.
China's large-scale infrastructure projects in the Himalayas—including mining, roads, railways, and dams—are damaging the fragile ecosystem, with studies showing significant vegetation destruction and increased ecological risk. A 2026 glacial collapse in Nepal caused devastating floods, but China did not share early warning data despite advanced monitoring capabilities, and has imposed an information blackout on affected areas in Tibet.