The UNDP Human Development Index (HDI) is a comparative benchmark indicator of living standards and development, taking into account poverty, literacy, education, life expectancy, childbirth, and other factors for countries worldwide. It is a standard means of measuring well-being, especially child welfare.

The Fynbos ecoregion of South Africa stretches out in a coastal belt on the Western cape. This region is characterisied by heath- and shrubland and a mediterranean climate. Many of the plants inhabitating this ecoregion are evergreen with needle-life leafs.

The major industrial areas of the Northern Hemisphere are a source for long range transport of pollutants. The main air currents are taking industrial air pollution and circulating them with the end result being an increase of pollutants in the biosphere of the Arctic.

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Graph showing the amount (in millions of metric tonnes) of CO2 emissions from coal, gas and oil. Covers the years from 1990-2000 and predicts the trend to 2020. Information on the United States, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union and Africa is included.

Environmental degradation trends from all the continents are alarmingly increasing. This graphic presents the status by world regions, in four different categories, and for seven different types of environmental degradation issues.

There are currently more than 1000 million people in the world that lacks access to an easily accessible and safe water source, such as a connection to water mains or a protected well. Instead, water access is limited or available through unprotected sources. The target, under the Millennium Development Goals, is to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

Historically the developed countries of the world have emitted most of the anthropogenic greenhouse gases. The U.S. emits most in total, and is one of the countries with highest emissions per capita. China is the second largest emitter, but has very low emissions per capita. Over the last 20 years, industrial development has led to a rapid rise in the volume of emissions from Asia, but on a per capita basis, emissions in this region are still at ...

The graphic shows the process of GIWA's assessment methodology and list the five main concerns dealing with water resources, which are freshwater shortage, pollution, habitat and community modification, unsustainable exploitation of fisheries and other living resources and global change.

The graphic shows the world oil, natural gas and coal consumption from various regions in comparison to the world totals. It Shows trends from 1990 to 2001, and predicts the patterns to 2020. The use of oil is predicted to increase in all regions, except for Western Europe where it will stay relatively stabil. Natural gas will also increase, especially in north America. The use of coal will decrease in most regions except for North America.

Population growth and technology: operating together these two factors account for the major causes of coral reef decline - excessive domestic and agricultural waste pouring into ocean waters, poor land-use practices that increase sedimentation of rivers and then of reefs, and over-exploitation of reef resources, often in combination with practices such as harvesting with dynamite and poison, all degrade reefs.

Measuring alkalinity determins a stream's ability to neutralize acidic pollution from rainfall or wastewater. Alkalinity refers to the ability of water to resist change in pH. The graphic shows global comparison of alkalinity measured in milligrams per litre, for the years 1976 and 2000.

Freshwater, as a natural resource, represents a fundamental key to sustainable livelihoods - for health, economy and development. The water poverty index (WPI) is an aggregate index, describing the lack of freshwater. The index is calculated based on five components: resources, access, capacity, use, and environment, using indicators describing these.

The marine animal food chain is very complex and multilayered as are most food chains. This is a quick reference to represent the complete food chain in regards to pelagic crustaceans and invertebrates.

This map shows wilderness in Norway and Svalbard. For the Norway map wilderness is defined as areas more than 5 km from roads, railways, power lines and other major man-made changes/installations. The European map uses a different definition of wilderness with 6 km as the excluding distance. Also, areas smaller than 4000 km2 are excluded from the map.

Total primary energy supply per capita is a common, albeit an imperfect measure of energy efficiency in a country. For instance, neither the impact of climate on energy use (heating, cooling) nor the size of the country and the density of the population are properly taken into account when comparing countries. Energy analysts usually prefer to compare energy use per unit of output or per unit of GDP. However, the ratio has been presented here sin...

The graphic displays the development of seaborne trade in crude oil and products to other major bulks and dry goods. It covers the period from 1970 to 2000. The growth in maritime transportation is strongly correlated with the growth in international trade. Major fluctuations in export values in the 1970s and 1980s were mainly linked with oil price variations. More recently, the development of containerized maritime transportation has been linked...

The percentage of fish to the total human diet from various regions in the world. Based on statistics from 1987 to 1989. Fish is the last wild meal in the human diet, but roughly two-thirds of the world’s major stocks are now fished at or beyond their capacity, and another 10 percent have been harvested so heavily that populations will take years to recover.

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