Vital Signs 2000: The Environmental Trends That Are Shaping Our Future

Vital Signs 2000: The Environmental Trends That Are Shaping Our Future

Vital Signs 2000: The Environmental Trends That Are Shaping Our Future

Vital Signs 2000: The Environmental Trends That Are Shaping Our Future

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Overview

Whether you read Vital Signs for a preview of the next decade or to verify a particular trend, you will find it comprehensive and authoritative. Vital Signs is an excellent companion volume to Worldwatch's highly acclaimed State of the World series.

This annual volume from the Worldwatch Institute shows in graphic form key trends that often escape the attention of the news media, world leaders, and economic experts, but should be integrated into their plans as they map out our global future. Written by the staff of the award-winning Worldwatch Institute, this book allows readers to track key indicators that show social, economic, and environmental progress, or the lack of it. These authoritative data have been distilled from thousands of documents obtained from government, industry, scientists, and international organizations into forty-five "vital signs" of our times. Vital Signs 2000 presents up-to-the-minute information on environmental and sustainable development topics such as global temperature, population growth, HIV/AIDS, fossil fuel consumption, Internet use, income inequalities, grain production, and fish catch. Each trend is presented in both text and graphics, providing a thorough, well-documented, and very accessible overview.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780393320220
Publisher: Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date: 05/17/2000
Series: Vital Signs Series
Edition description: Older Edition
Pages: 194
Product dimensions: 7.00(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

The Worldwatch Institute is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit research and publishing organization dedicated to fostering the evolution of an environmentally sustainable society.

Lester R. Brown is the founder of the Earth Policy and Worldwatch Institutes. He has been honored with numerous prizes, including a MacArthur Fellowship, the United Nations Environment Prize, and twenty-five honorary degrees. He lives in Washington, D.C.

Michael Renner, a senior researcher at Worldwatch, lives in New York City.

Brian Halweil is a researcher at the Worldwatch Institute.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments9
Foreword11
Overview: The Acceleration of Change17
Energy Transition Accelerates18
Climate Change Building Momentum20
Food Trends Mixed21
Unsustainable Output Growing22
The Productivity Challenge22
Economic Trends Mixed23
The Globalization of Information24
Social Trends Grim25
Wars and Peacekeeping Both Increasing27
Environmental Deterioration27
Tax Shifting to Save the Environment28
Part 1Key Indicators
Food Trends33
Grain Harvest Falls34
Soybean Harvest Drops36
Meat Production Up Again38
Fish Harvest Down40
Agricultural Resource Trends43
Grain Area Shrinks Again44
Fertilizer Use Down46
Pesticide Trade Nears New High48
Energy Trends51
Fossil Fuel Use in Flux52
Nuclear Power Rises Slightly54
Wind Power Booms56
Solar Power Market Jumps58
Compact Fluorescents Light Up the Globe60
Atmospheric Trends63
Global Temperature Drops64
Carbon Emissions Fall Again66
Economic Trends69
Economic Growth Speeds Up70
Developing-Country Debt Increases72
World Trade Stable in Value74
Weather Damages Drop76
Paper Piles Up78
Gold Loses Its Luster80
Tourism Growth Rebounds82
Transportation Trends85
Vehicle Production Increases86
Bicycle Production Down Again88
Communication Trends91
Telephone Network Diversifies92
Internet Use Accelerates94
Social Trends97
World Population Passes 6 Billion98
HIV/AIDS Pandemic Hits Africa Hardest100
Refugee Numbers Continue Decline102
Urban Population Continues to Rise104
Cigarette Death Toll Rising106
Military Trends109
Number of Wars on Upswing110
Peacekeeping Expenditures Turn Up112
Part 2Special Features
Environmental Features117
Transgenic Crop Area Surges118
Organic Farming Thrives Worldwide120
Groundwater Depletion Widespread122
Groundwater Quality Deteriorating124
Ice Cover Melting Worldwide126
Stresses on Amphibians Grow128
Endocrine Disrupters Raise Concern130
Paper Recycling Remains Strong132
Environmental Treaties Gain Ground134
Economic Features137
Environmental Tax Shifts Multiplying138
Satellites Boost Environmental Knowledge140
Corporate Mergers Skyrocket142
Social Features145
Wind Energy Jobs Rising146
Tuberculosis Resurging Worldwide148
Prison Populations Exploding150
Women Slowly Gain Ground in Politics152
Notes155
The Vital Signs Series190
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