The global average surface temperature (over land and ocean) increased by an estimated 0.85 deg.C in the period from 1880 to 2012. That increase in global temperatures is mainly attributed to the increasing...
The aviation industry consumes about 1.5 billion barrels of jet fuel annually, producing around 2% of all human-induced carbon dioxide emissions (ATAG April 2014 figures). The quest to improve fuel...
Overexposure to UV rays is a major risk factor for skin cancers and cataracts. Humans on Earth are exposed to UV radiation of various wavelengths, which can be subdivided in: UVA (320 to 400 nm) and UVB (290...
The Montreal Protocol has reduced by 98% consumption of ODS's such as Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons, which were widely used in: aerosol sprays (dry cleaning, fumigants), blowing agents for foams...
The main gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect (the retention of heat from solar radiation in the Earth's lower atmosphere) are: water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone.
Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). Solar power is renewable, and does not produce...
783 million people (11% of the World's population) remain without access to an improved source of drinking water (2012 estimate). Adequate sources include: household connections, public standpipes,...
Including: groundwater, surface water (lakes, reservoirs, rivers, canals), rainwater, water in the air (which can be extracted through processes such as atmospheric water generation and fog collection),...
Still today, millions of people worldwide live in life or health-threatening conditions, in overcrowded slums and informal settlements. Ensuring adequate housing is about guaranteeing a secure home and...
Supporting the long-term ecological balance of our planet is fundamental to the survival of the human species and other living organisms. Over the past few years, a number of initiatives have made a real...
Deaths from measles (and rubella) have been greatly reduced over the past few years. A 78% reduction in deaths was achieved between 2000 and 2012 through large vaccination campaigns like the Measles and...
Rubella, also known as "German Measles", is a viral infection with generally mild symptoms; however, it can have serious consequences for pregnant women and their children. Women infected with rubella in the...
Extreme poverty is "a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends...
About 12% of the World's population is undernourished (842 million people in 2012, according to the FAO's estimates). 45% of deaths in children under five are caused by poor nutrition (WFP estimates). The...
