World Watch "Vital Signs" Report Now Available

Sample Findings from the Report

• Global energy intensity rose 1.35 percent in 2010—a rare exception to a long-term positive trend that saw energy intensity drop by just over 20 percent from 1981 to 2010.

• In 2010, global oil consumption reached an all-time high of 87.4 million barrels. At 37 percent of primary energy use, it remains the largest single source of energy, though its share has declined for 11 consecutive years.

• Fossil fuel consumption subsidies fell 44 percent in 2009, to $312 billion—reflecting changes in international energy prices rather than a change in policies.

• Continuing its rapid ascent, installed global wind power capacity increased 24 percent to 197,000 megawattsin 2010—nine times as much as a decade ago.

• Solar photovoltaic generating capacity grew even faster.  The 16,700 megawatts that were newly installed in 2010 surpasses the total PV capacity that was in place in 2008.

• The production of passenger cars and light trucks reached a new peak in 2010, surging from 60 million to 74.7 million.

• High-speed rail lines expanded from 10,700 kilometers in 2009 to almost 17,000 kilometers in 2011. High-speed trips accounted for 7 percent of all rail passenger travel in 2010.

• Global biofuel production increased by 17 percent in 2010 to reach an all-time high of 105 billion liters. Rising portions of the U.S. corn harvest and Brazil’s sugarcane production are turned into ethanol—giving rise to fears of increasing  food and fuel trade-offs.

• Organic farming methods were used on 37.2 million hectares worldwide in 2009. This represents a 150 percent increase since 2000, yet the organic area amounts to just 0.85 percent of global agricultural land.

• Per capita meat consumption in the developing world doubled to 32 kilograms over the past quarter-century, but this is still far below consumption levels in the industrial world.

• Fish farming has increased some 50-fold since the 1950s and now accounts for 40 percent of total fish catch.

• The number of overweight people age 15 or older worldwide jumped 25 percent since 2002, to 1.93 billion.

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