The facts and figures below cover everything from world population through biodiversity and sustainability to pollution and recycling. These statistics are designed to raise awareness of the pressures we are exerting on our environment and its resources. To understand them is to prompt action. So take the time to consider the implications of our priorities...
1800: |
1 billion |
1960: |
3 billion (7% in North America, 9% in Africa, 20% in Europe and 65% in Asia) |
2000: |
6 billion (5% in North America, up to 13% in Africa, only 12% in Europe and over 60% in Asia) |
2050: |
9 billion |
Of the world's population only 20% live in developed countries
BUT
that 20% consume almost 75% of the world's fresh water, consume over 60% of the world's energy and own 87% of the world's vehicles.
Of the 6.5 billion people on our planet 1.2 billion do not have access to drinking water.
1 year's oil in 1950 would now last only 6 weeks.
The world's atmosphere only has the capacity to absorb one third of the CO2 that we produce every year.
Every year an area the size of the state of Florida (37.5 million acres) is deforested. The cumulative effect on biodiversity can only be guessed at.
3 million deaths a year are caused by air pollution.
See our facts and figures on recycling.
The annual world military budget is 798 billion dollars while only 58 billion dollars is spent on development aid (2003 figures).
With a phenomenal 2.1 million active personel, the US Department of Defence per capita energy consumption is 524 trillion Btu. This is 10 times more than the per capita energy consumption in China and 30 times more than that of Africa.
The DoD's energy consumption equates to 1% of the US's total - as much as the 140 million inhabitants of Nigeria!
Nor is the energy consumption green in nature. Oil accounts for 3/4 of all site delivered energy consumption.
