From meat consumption to automobile production to hydropower, Vital Signs, Volume 20 documents over two dozen trends that are shaping our future in concise analyses and clear tables and graphs. The twentieth volume of the Worldwatch Institute series demonstrates that while remarkable progress has been made over the past year, much remains to be done to get the planet on a more sustainable track.
Worldwide, people are waking up to the realities of a resource-constrained planet: investments and subsidies for renewable energy have reached new heights, consumers are slowly shifting away from meat-heavy diets, and new employment structures like co-operatives are democratizing the global economy. Yet with over 1 billion people lacking access to electricity, natural disasters that are more costly than ever before, and an adherence to the factory farm model of food production, it is clear that many obstacles loom on the horizon.
Covering a wide range of environmental, economic, and social themes,Vital Signs, Volume 20 is the go-to source for straightforward data and analyses on the latest issues facing an increasingly crowded planet. By placing each trend within a global framework, Vital Signs, Volume 20 identifies the solutions we need to transition toward a more sustainable world.
This book will be especially useful for policymakers, environmental nonprofits, and students of environmental studies, sustainability, or economics.
Acknowledgments Overview: Peak Production from a Planet in Distress \ Michael Renner
Energy and Transportation Trends -Growth in Global Oil Market Slows -Global Coal and Natural Gas Consumption Continue to Grow -China Drives Global Wind Growth -Hydropower and Geothermal Growth Slows -Smart Grid and Energy Storage Installations Rising -Fossil Fuel and Renewable Energy Subsidies on the Rise -Continued Growth in Renewable Energy Investments -Auto Production Roars to New Records
Environment and Climate Trends -Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Concentrations on the Rise as Kyoto Era Fades -Carbon Capture and Storage Experiences Limited Growth in 2011
Food and Agriculture Trends -Global Grain Production at Record High Despite Extreme Climatic Events -Disease and Drought Curb Meat Production and Consumption -Farm Animal Populations Continue to Grow -Aquaculture Tries to Fill World's Insatiable Appetite for Seafood -Area Equipped for Irrigation at Record Levels, But Expansion Slows -Organic Agriculture Contributes to Sustainable Food Security -Investing in Women Farmers -Foreign Investment in Agricultural Land Down from 2009 Peak
Global Economy and Resources Trends -Wage Gap Widens as Wages Fail to Keep Pace with Productivity -Metals Production Recovers -Municipal Solid Waste Growing -Losses from Natural Disasters Reach New Peak in 2011 -The Looming Threat of Water Scarcity -Advertising Spending Continues Gradual Rebound, Driven by Growth in Internet Media
Population and Society Trends -Emerging Co-operatives -Climate Change Migration Often Short-Distance and Circular -Urbanizing the Developing World -U.N. Funding Increases, But Falls Short of Global Tasks
Notes The Vital Signs Series
"For anyone looking for the most recent data describing global trends from the Worldwatch point of view, Vital Signs is an excellent resource. For those aiming more broadly, Vital Signs presents a stimulating jumping off point for further research."
