eProceeding...

Physical Environment: General Context

"While the debate continues about how many people the Earth can support, several important indicators of human well-being appear increasingly negative. We are clearly consuming resources and producing waste at rates beyond the Earth’s carrying capacity, and generating greenhouse gases faster than the atmosphere can recycle them. ...

In reviewing these trends, it’s important to remember that, while they are dangerous (and even frightening), we do know how to correct them. We can stabilize population. We can assure food and water security for all. We can end poverty and create an equitable, sustainable economy. To do so, however, requires first that we recognize the extent and implications of these trends, and that we work together to reverse them."

Tracking the Trends





Background Material

Indicators and General Statistics

  1. Counter of major indicators
  2. World Resource Institute (EarthTrends)

Population

  1. World Scientists' Warning to Humanity
    Union of Concerned Scientists (Cambridge, MA) ucs@ucsusa.org
  2. Sustainable Planet
  3. A History of World Population
    (Estimates: 1950=2.5B, 1975=4B, 2000=6.2B, 2025=7.8B, 2050=9B
    Ref. UN - with "medium" growth rate projections.
    With high rate projections poulation can reach 14.4B people by 2050)
  4. World Population Growth Thru History
    (From "World Population: Toward the Next Century")
  5. World Population: 1950-2000
    (US Census Bureau)
  6. World Population Projections
    (UN World Population Prospects 1998)
  7. World Fresh Water Per Capita
    (US Census Report)
    (1900=25K cubic meters/per capita, 2000=7K cubic meters/per capita)

Biodiversity

  1. Expected Correlation between Human Population Growth and Species Decline
    By year 2000 est. 20%-55% decline since year 1000
    By year 2050 est. 25%-60% decline since year 1000
    Another estimate: over 1 million species lost since 1980

Coral Reef Destruction

Develop

Disasters

  1. Links to various disaster related sites
    Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado (Boulder)
See also: Forest Fire Watch, Storm Watch, Volcano Watch

Drug Resistant Diseases

Develop

Forest Fire Watch

Develop

More Severe Storms

Develop

Ozone Layer

Develop

Rain Forest Decline

Develop

Storm Watch

Develop

Volcano Watch

  1. NASA GOES VolcanoWatch
  2. US Geological Survey Volcano Watch
  3. Volcano watch
  4. Michigan Technological University Volcanoes Page
    Keweenaw Volcano Observatory
  5. Volcano World

Top Ten

A number of organizations in Israel and the US were asked the following question:

"Do you have a list of 'Top Ten' environmental issues and demographic projections for NOW, projected 25 years, 50 years and with Israel, East Mediterranean Basin and Global scope?

What may also be important is list of 'potential cataclysmic environmental threats' (e.g. asteroid hit, major tsunami in E Mediterranean, major earthquake, major 'dirty' volcanic eruption causing extreme global/regional climactic and environmental change, etc.) with probability indicator, estimated mean time in between historical occurrence and likely number of years until potential occurrence, estimated damage (human/animal/vegetable life, capital), estimate of when counter-measure available (e.g. mega-engineering for asteroid intercept, volcanic eruption 'dampening', etc.) and estimated R&D and rollout cost."

Thus far only the following approximates response to the above inquiry.

Prof. Ronald E Hurlbert's List

Additional Web Sites

  1. Conservation International
    www.conservation.org
  2. Environmental Defense
    www.edf.org
  3. National Academy of Sciences
    www.nas.edu
  4. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association
    www.noaa.gov
  5. Natural Resources Defense Council
    www.nrdc.org
  6. Union of Concerned Scientists
    www.ucsusa.org/environment


Apr 29, 2003 (Jan 29, 2002)