An often forgotten scourge: plastic pollution in rivers

When we think of plastic pollution, we often think of the oceans. Yet plastic pollution in freshwater begins long before, in rivers, lakes and canals. These environments serve as vectors and storage areas for plastics, long before they reach the sea.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, over 9 million tonnes of plastic are dumped into aquatic environments every year. Much of this goes into freshwater, where it causes damage that is still largely underestimated.

Persistent, ubiquitous plastic pollution

Plastics found in freshwater environments come from a variety of sources:

Once in the water, this waste breaks down into microplastics (< 5 mm) and nanoplastics, invisible to the naked eye. These particles pollute watercourses over the long term, affecting fauna, flora and water quality.

Freshwater ecosystems heavily impacted

Rivers, wetlands, ponds and streams are among the richest ecosystems… and the most vulnerable. The effects of plastic pollution in freshwater are manifold:

These impacts threaten not only biodiversity, but also human health through the consumption of contaminated water and fish.

Cutting-edge technology to track plastics

Studying plastic pollution in freshwater is a challenge, because it is so diffuse and microscopic. Scientists are developing increasingly sophisticated tools:

These innovations make it possible to map pollution, identify sources, and test concrete solutions such as filters, booms or alternative materials.

Rivers and watersheds: at the heart of solutions

To effectively combat plastic pollution in freshwater, we need to adopt a systemic vision. Rivers are more than just canals: they are actors in the ecological transition.

This implies :

Understanding for action: towards sustainable management of plastic pollution

The fight against plastic pollution in freshwater requires a better understanding of these phenomena. It is in these close, concrete and measurable environments that sustainable solutions can emerge.

Research plays a central role in :

Restoring rivers, protecting our future

Taking action against plastic pollution in freshwater protects not only ecosystems, but also our water resources, our health and our future. By rethinking our relationship with plastic and water, we can reverse the trend.

Far from slogans or ready-made solutions, researchers around the world are deploying powerful tools to read the Earth’s signals, decipher its dynamics, and profoundly rethink our relationship with the natural world. Here’s what this knowledge tells us.

Planetary limits that must not be crossed

In 2009, a group of international scientists proposed a radically new way of assessing the health of our planet: “planetary limits”. This framework identifies nine key processes (climate, biodiversity, nitrogen cycle, ocean acidification, etc.) whose failure to comply could lead to abrupt, even irreversible, environmental changes.

Today, several of these thresholds have already been crossed, in particular those linked to biodiversity loss and the carbon cycle. This means that the capacity of ecosystems to regulate themselves naturally is weakened, and global shifts become more likely. Understanding these limits lays the scientific foundations for any environmental protection strategy.

Decoding the mechanisms of the ecological crisis

Protecting the environment starts with understanding how it works. Ecosystems – whether terrestrial, aquatic or marine – rely on subtle balances: energy exchanges, nutrient recycling, interactions between species. These living systems provide vital functions for humanity: pollination, water filtration, climate regulation…

But these mechanisms are now being disrupted by the intensity of human activity. The transformation of soils, chemical pollution, overexploitation of resources and the introduction of invasive species are profoundly altering the structure and functioning of natural environments.

Scientists are working to quantify these impacts, identify the most sensitive areas, and monitor changes in species and habitats. These data are essential for targeting protection actions, but also for revealing the extent of the interconnections between environmental, health, economic and social issues.

Observe, model, anticipate

In a rapidly changing world, observation becomes a strategic tool. Thanks to satellites, measuring stations and ecological imaging technologies, science now has an unprecedented amount of data on forests, oceans, the atmosphere and soils.

But beyond measurements, researchers are also building predictive models to anticipate possible trajectories for the planet: what will happen if temperatures rise by 2°C? What will happen to wetlands if pressure on land continues? What scenarios still allow us to preserve coral reefs?

These projections are not fixed predictions, but decision-support tools that shed light on the choices to be made today to preserve the balance of tomorrow.

Knowledge as a lever for transformation

What science tells us is sometimes disturbing, often complex, but always necessary. Because protecting the environment cannot be reduced to a series of individual gestures: it’s a systemic transformation that’s at stake.

This means rethinking our economic models, our infrastructures, our use of energy and our relationship with the living world. And for this, research plays a crucial role: documenting the effects of public policies, analyzing social behavior, exploring the conditions for large-scale change.

Today, environmental protection is at the crossroads of natural sciences, social sciences and technology. It is based on shared, evolving and rigorous knowledge. And on a collective determination to build a livable future, not just for ourselves, but for all the life forms that make our planet tick.

To understand is to protect. And every scientific advance brings us a little closer to a way of living on Earth that would no longer be against it, but with it.

And this inequality is not confined to poor countries or remote regions. It concerns us all, because health today is a collective, interconnected and fragile asset.

Inaccessible care, even when it exists

Access to healthcare isn’t just about having a hospital nearby. It means being able to seek medical care without geographical, economic, cultural or administrative barriers.

In some countries, hospitals are several days’ walk away. Elsewhere, treatments are either too expensive or unavailable. Sometimes it’s language, social status, gender or mistrust that prevents people from pushing open the door of a health center.

And even in so-called “universal” healthcare systems, as in Europe, inequalities persist: medical deserts, excessively long waiting times, lack of knowledge of rights, precariousness, lack of translation or mediation.

Science facing a human challenge

Biomedical research has long focused on treatments. It has led to major advances. But today, a new field is emerging: understanding why so many people remain on the margins of the healthcare system, and how to remedy the situation.

This means crossing disciplines: medicine, sociology, anthropology, economics and engineering. There’s a lot more to care than prescribing medication. We also have to listen, translate, adapt and support.

In Montpellier, this global approach is already underway. Teams are working, for example, on :

When innovation rhymes with inclusion

Medical innovation should not widen the gap, but narrow it. This means designing technologies for all walks of life, not just connected urban environments.

Artificial intelligence, for example, can help detect illnesses in areas where there are no doctors. Mobile applications enable remote medical monitoring, even in fragile environments. Multilingual platforms, “ethical” algorithms, open-access diagnostic tools: these are just some of the initiatives emerging around the world – often in collaboration with researchers from Montpellier.

But for an innovation to be useful, it has to be accessible, understandable and locally relevant. And above all, co-constructed with the people concerned.

Rethinking health as a right, not a privilege

Care is more than just healing. It means recognizing the dignity of each individual. It means refusing to let distance, poverty, language or gender decide who lives or dies. It means making health a shared and protected common good.

This requires a change of outlook. To listen to the voices that are seldom heard. To consider health not as a product, but as a condition of justice.

And it starts right here, right now, in the laboratories, in the consultations, in the classrooms, in the field. In Montpellier and elsewhere.

By 2050, it could be responsible for 10 million deaths every year. More than cancer. More than all recent epidemics combined. This figure, mentioned by the UN, is enough to make you shudder. But why do we talk so little about it?

When antibiotics stop working

Since their discovery, antibiotics have transformed medicine. Today, an infection that a century ago would have been fatal can be cured in a matter of days. These molecules have saved hundreds of millions of lives. But this success comes at a price.

Bacteria learn to defend themselves against the misuse and misapplication of these substances. They evolve. They become resistant. The result? Once benign infections become longer-lasting, more serious, sometimes incurable. It’s the return of the “forgotten diseases”, but in a stronger version.

And it’s not just hospitals that are affected. Agriculture, livestock farming and natural environments are all affected. Because antibiotics are not confined to prescriptions. They circulate, spread and create invisible reservoirs of resistance in the air, water and soil.

A global emergency… but avoidable

Antimicrobial resistance is a global problem. It knows no borders. A resistant germ in Asia can travel to Montpellier in a matter of hours. Yet it remains underestimated, partly because it is silent. It kills without fanfare, without visible epidemics. But it kills.

Fortunately, solutions do exist. And some of them can be found right here in Montpellier, where researchers, doctors and veterinarians are working together to invent new strategies.

In Montpellier, research is getting organized

Faced with this challenge, the Montpellier region, cradle of Western medicine, is not sitting idly by. Several laboratories, at the crossroads of biology, chemistry, medicine and social sciences, are developing alternatives to conventional antibiotics:

Science is advancing, but it needs collective support.

Prevention is already treatment

The best weapon against resistance is prevention. This means :

In short: it’s not just a question of finding new treatments, but also of changing the way we treat our patients.

Caring for living beings means protecting our future

Antibiotic resistance is a mirror image. It reflects our damaged link to the living world. It reveals the impact of our excesses on the fragile balance between humans, animals and the environment. Responding to them means more than just practicing medicine. It means thinking differently about health. It means adopting a global, integrated approach, where we treat bodies, ecosystems and care systems.

In the face of health, climate and environmental crises, the concept of global health – or One Health – is becoming a major scientific response. In Montpellier, researchers are committed to preventing risks at the interface between humans, animals and ecosystems.

One health, one world

Born in the 2000s, One Health is based on a fundamental principle: human, animal and environmental health are closely linked. Deforestation, rapid urbanization, intensive agriculture and trade in wild animals are all contributing to the emergence of zoonotic diseases. COVID-19, Ebola and avian flu are striking examples.

The concept is recognized by WHO, FAO, WHOA and UNEP. Today, it is a pillar of global preventive health policies.

“What we’ve been studying for years in the South is now coming to the North. What we want […] is to be able to better assess health risks by looking at the environment as a whole”, emphasizes Élisabeth Claverie de Saint Martin, CEO of CIRAD.

Montpellier, a scientific ecosystem of excellence

Montpellier is a pioneer in global healthcare. The region boasts a scientific network that is unique in Europe, with institutions such as CIRAD, IRD, INRAE, the University of Montpellier and the CHU. They are working together to better understand the links between health, environment, agriculture and climate, both in France and in developing countries.

Among the flagship projects, PREZODE (Prevention of Zoonotic Disease Emergence) embodies this interdisciplinary approach. Launched by CIRAD, INRAE and IRD, it aims to anticipate pandemics by acting on their ecological and social causes.

Science at the heart of prevention

Science plays a key role in this process. It enables us to create innovative monitoring systems, improve prevention and guide public policy. Using field data, interdisciplinary expertise and international cooperation, researchers model health risks and support the agro-ecological transition.

At the One Science Montpellier Foundation, we believe in the importance of this research.
By funding projects at the interface between human, animal and environmental health, we contribute to a better understanding of tomorrow’s major health challenges.

Producing enough to feed humanity is a colossal challenge. But it’s not enough. Every year, millions of tonnes of food go to waste, while over 730 million people still go hungry. Paradoxically, billions of people are affected by obesity, diabetes or malnutrition.

This paradox reveals inequitable, inefficient and vulnerable food systems. We urgently need to rethink the way we produce, process and consume food. Science can play a key role here, by proposing viable, sustainable and inclusive alternatives.

Food injustice, a silent crisis

Food insecurity doesn’t just concern the quantity produced. It also affects equitable access to healthy, varied and culturally appropriate food. Today :

Researchers analyze these imbalances to understand their causes: social inequalities, import dependency, deficient infrastructures or unstable food governance.social inequalities, import dependency, deficient infrastructures or deficient food governance.

Eating well, a challenge for health… and sustainability

Access to quality food remains a major challenge. Many people do not have access to fresh, diversified or minimally processed produce. Malnutrition in all its forms is on the rise, with serious impacts on public health.

Scientists and experts are developing tools to assess the nutritional and environmental impact of our food:

These tools are based on solid scientific data. They aim to guide the dietary transition towards healthier, more sustainable and fairer diets.

Infrastructure, short circuits and fair logistics

Producing locally is not enough. We also need to process, store and distribute food efficiently, while limiting losses.

In many countries in the South, up to 30% of crops are lost after harvest, due to a lack of suitable infrastructure. Conversely, in wealthy countries, abundance masks massive wastage throughout the chain.

The researchers propose a number of practical solutions:

Towards localized, sustainable food systems

Rather than thinking of food solely on a global scale, science is now exploring more territorial systems. These approaches make it possible to :

These projects are based on interdisciplinary research, combining social sciences, agronomy, nutrition and economics. They are led by local players, supported by scientific institutions such as those gathered in Montpellier.

Sustainable food is also a question of equity

Feeding the planet only makes sense if everyone has access to a dignified and chosen diet. Building sustainable food systems means :

The One Science Montpellier Foundation supports projects that combine scientific rigor, local roots and social ambition. Sustainable nutrition also means redressing imbalances and giving back power to local communities.

With the world’s population set to exceed 9 billion by 2050,sustainable agriculture is becoming an imperative. It is no longer enough to produce more, but to produce better: by preserving resources, reducing environmental impact and adapting to climate change.

Science plays a major role in this transformation. In Montpellier, world-renowned researchers are designing tomorrow’s agricultural solutions. Here’s an overview of the most promising innovations for building an efficient, resilient and sustainable agriculture.

Varietal selection: cultivating resilience

Drought, heatwaves, emerging diseases… Crops are increasingly vulnerable. Varietal selection becomes a key tool. The aim is no longer simply to increase yields, but to create plants capable of withstanding the vagaries of the climate while respecting ecosystems.

Water-saving varieties that are tolerant of poor or saline soils are being developed thanks to advances in plant genetics. This research is often carried out in conjunction with local farming communities. They help to secure production in vulnerable regions, notably in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Agroecology: drawing inspiration from the living to feed the living

Agroecology does not seek to constrain nature, but to work with it. This approach, supported by research, proposes to rethink agricultural systems by relying on natural dynamics: plant diversity, species interactions, soil fertility, and so on.

In concrete terms, this involves practices such as combining complementary crops, agroforestry and reducing chemical inputs. Researchers are studying the effects of these methods not only on yields, but also on biodiversity, soil health and resilience to crises.

Anticipating for better action: the era of data and modeling

The agriculture of the 21st century relies on advanced predictive tools. Thanks to modeling, researchers can simulate scenarios, anticipate the effects of climate change and identify areas at risk of food crises.

These data help decision-makers, NGOs and agricultural cooperatives to better plan their actions. They also help to adapt public policies and strengthen the resilience of food systems in the most exposed regions.

Innovating for all: solutions designed with farmers in mind

An innovation is only effective if it is understood and adopted by those who grow it. This is why many research projects are co-constructed with farmers, particularly in developing countries where family farming is predominant.

These projects, often based on simple, low-cost solutions, improve yields while valorizing local practices and traditional knowledge. In Montpellier, programs such as FABA (in Cameroon) and SALSA (in the Mediterranean) illustrate this participative approach.

Feeding the planet without exhausting it: an achievable challenge

The food challenge can no longer be met with the recipes of the past. But science, in conjunction with farmers, local authorities and decision-makers, is opening up new avenues.

Producing more and better is not just a technical issue. It is a profound transformation of our relationship with living beings. It relies on sound knowledge, increased international cooperation and a collective determination to ensure a nourishing future.

At a time when our planet is going through a series of crises – climatic, geopolitical, economic – the global food crisis is emerging as a major challenge. It is no longer simply a question of hunger. It also encompasses profound inequalities in access to healthy food, massive wastage of resources and the ecological limits of our agricultural model.

Faced with this situation, understanding the scale and complexity of the problem is essential if we are to take action. Here are six key figures to help you assess the causes, impacts and levers for transformation.

783 million people suffer from hunger worldwide

This alarming figure reminds us that hunger is far from over. Nearly 800 million people still live in chronic food insecurity. There are many reasons for this: armed conflict, recurrent drought, economic shocks, and unequal access to productive resources such as land, water and seeds.

In contrast to a fatalistic vision, hunger must be seen as a preventable phenomenon. Understanding food systems, local vulnerabilities and global interdependencies is the key to devising structural, sustainable solutions tailored to specific regions.

Source: FAO, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, 2023

1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted every year

Every year, a third of the food produced in the world is lost or thrown away. This massive waste occurs at every stage of the food chain: storage, transport, processing, distribution and consumption.

It mobilizes land, water, energy… for nothing.

Beyond individual responsibility, it’s the overall organization of food supply chains that needs to be examined. Rethinking logistics, developing more frugal consumption patterns, reusing unsold produce or agricultural by-products: there are many ways to build a more efficient food system that respects resources.

Source: FAO, Food Loss and Waste Database, 2021

80% of farmland is devoted to livestock farming

Livestock farming, particularly intensive livestock farming, takes up most of the world’s agricultural land. This applies not only to pastureland, but above all to the crops grown to feed the animals.

This model has made it possible to increase meat production. But it is now taking its toll on the environment. With its greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, loss of biodiversity and massive use of resources, it is reaching its limits.

Diversifying diets, promoting more sustainable livestock farming practices, improving the link between livestock farming and plant-based agriculture: these are just some of the challenges we face in reducing the footprint of our food choices.

Source: FAO, Livestock’s Long Shadow, 2006 / Our World in Data, 2023

3.1 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet

The food crisis is not just about quantity, but also about quality. More than 3 billion people around the world cannot afford – economically or geographically – to eat healthily.

This situation affects both isolated rural areas and deprived urban areas. In the latter, ultra-processed foods often replace fresh produce.

This nutritional imbalance is fuelling silent epidemics of obesity, diabetes and multiple deficiencies. In response, we need to bring production closer to local needs, strengthen short distribution channels, support the diversity of food cultures and make healthy products accessible to all.

Source: FAO, IFAD, WHO, WFP and UNICEF, SOFI Report, 2023

A healthy diet could prevent 11 million deaths every year

The consequences of a poor diet go far beyond the nutritional sphere. They constitute a real public health issue. A healthy, sustainable diet could prevent up to 11 million premature deaths a year worldwide.

Promoting quality food also means easing the burden on healthcare systems, improving productivity and strengthening people’s resilience in the face of crises.

Source: The Lancet, Global Syndemic of Obesity, Undernutrition, and Climate Change, 2019

Less than 1% of global public funding goes to research on sustainable food systems

Despite the scale of the challenges, research into the sustainable transformation of our food systems remains underfunded. It receives just 0.8% of the world’s food-related public funding.

Yet without scientific innovation, no transition will be possible.

In Montpellier, multi-disciplinary teams – united around the One Science Foundation – work every day to better understand the interactions between agriculture, the environment, nutrition and society. Cross-fertilizing knowledge, strengthening the dialogue between science and public decision-making, making the most of local knowledge: these are the levers we need to build coherent, resilient food policies.

Because feeding the world can no longer be done at the expense of the planet.

Source: Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Systemic Investment Gaps in Food Systems Transformation, 2021

A leading university site in ecology, water and agronomy

According to the Shanghai ranking (ARWU) 2024, Montpellier’s university campus ranks 1st worldwide in three crucial areas:

It also ranks in the world’s Top 100 for statistics and remote sensing, and in the world’s Top 150 for mathematics, chemistry and earth sciences.
These performances testify to the region’s scientific excellence and the international appeal of its research ecosystem.

A unique, interdisciplinary and structuring ecosystem

This world-renowned reputation is underpinned by a collective dynamic supported by 17 academic and scientific partners, united around the MUSE – Montpellier University of Excellence strategy. This structuring group federates a network of leading players and benefits from an exceptional scientific environment:

Montpellier is also home to two major international institutions:

Montpellier, scientific capital of life and the environment

Beyond its academic excellence, Montpellier is a model of interdisciplinary scientific cooperation in the service of the planet. At the crossroads of agriculture, the environment and health, Montpellier researchers are devising solutions for a more sustainable, resilient and caring world.

Thanks to this synergy between disciplines and institutions, the region’s scientists are tackling strategic issues:

A cosmopolitan student city open to the world

With 43,000 students, Montpellier is France’s 2nd largest university town in terms of student population. Its quality of life, cultural richness and pedestrian-friendly city center make it an ideal place to study.

Montpellier is home to the world’s oldest active medical faculty, which has been in operation since the Middle Ages. This faculty continues to train healthcare professionals in a setting combining historical heritage and medical innovation.

The University of Montpellier is a partner of more than 570 institutions in 89 countries and a member of numerous international academic networks (Erasmus+, Coimbra Group, AUF, ASAIHL, etc.). It holds the HR Excellence in Research label awarded by the European Commission, and is an active participant in theEuropean Research Area.

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They are often discreet, sometimes tiny, and yet they play a crucial role in our understanding of the ecological crisis. Bees, amphibians, birds or lichens: these so-called “sentinel” species are closely observed by scientists because they reveal, better than any discourse, the state of health of ecosystems.
Through them, science deciphers weak signals, anticipates imbalances, and alerts us to the silent transformations of living things. To understand the role of these species is to enter into the intimacy of natural environments – and better perceive what we are in danger of losing.

Biodiversity in accelerated decline

The sixth mass extinction is underway. According to experts, a million species are threatened with extinction, and current extinction rates are 100 to 1,000 times higher than normal. But unlike the great extinctions of the past, this one is entirely caused by human activities : destruction of habitats, pollution, overexploitation, introduction of exotic species, and of course, climate change.
In this context, monitoring biodiversity is becoming a strategic challenge. But how do you monitor a network as complex and interconnected as life itself? That’s where sentinel species come in.

Living indicators of environmental health

The principle is simple: certain species react quickly to environmental disturbances. Their presence, absence or behavior provide valuable clues about the state of an ecosystem. These are known as bioindicators.
Let’s take the example of amphibians: frogs, newts and salamanders have highly permeable skins and a life cycle linked to water. This makes them particularly vulnerable to pollutants, pesticides and changes in hydrology. Their decline is often a harbinger of deep-seated problems in wetlands.
Another example is wild bees, whose diversity and health reflect the quality of agricultural environments and the availability of floral resources. The decline of these pollinators affects not only floral biodiversity, but also human food security.

Observe to understand the dynamics of life

Around the world, scientific monitoring programs mobilize these sentinel species. Using rigorous protocols, researchers measure population trends, species frequency, reproductive behavior and seasonal movements. These observations make it possible to :

New technologies reinforce these approaches: automated photographic traps, acoustic sensors, drones and even environmental DNA analysis (eDNA) allow us to better capture the invisible richness of living things. Artificial intelligence is even accelerating the analysis of massive field data.

When science informs protection policies

This work is not purely academic: it feeds into conservation strategies at all scales. Whether it’s to designate a protected area, restore a degraded habitat or assess the impact of a development project, sentinel species play a central role in environmental decision-making.
More and more, researchers are working in close collaboration with nature managers, local authorities, NGOs and the general public. Participatory science, for example, enables enlightened amateurs to contribute to the collection of data on birds, butterflies or wild plants, thus broadening the scope of ecological monitoring.

Living things speak to us, but we need to listen.

Through sentinel species, nature sends us clear signals. Their disappearance is not just a biological loss: it is the breakdown of a dialogue between humanity and its environment. By observing these species, science does more than simply count or classify them: it tells a broader story – that of a changing planet, and of living organisms that are trying to adapt.
Protecting biodiversity means more than saving a few emblematic species. It’s about preserving the complex mechanisms that make life possible, for us as for all other forms of existence. And that starts with knowing where, how and why life is faltering.