SEARCH

More people were displaced by conflict and crisis in 2020 than at any other time in recorded history. Sometimes they fled across borders as refugees, but many had to relocate within their own borders. The numbers of the internally displaced are staggering: The number of people fleeing their homes and staying within their nation’s borders doubled during the last 25 years from about 27 to 55 million. During the same period, the average amount of time this group spent displaced increased to 17 years. Providing basic services and covering lost incomes for the internally displacement cost the world over $20 billion in 2020. Most of the internally displaced in 2020 fled violence or armed conflict. Low and middle-income countries host nearly all internally displaced people and bear most of the financial burden. Disasters, climate change, a degraded environment and extreme weather events are increasingly driving people from their homes. In Bangladesh alone, those displaced by climate change could reach 13.3 million by 2050. The countries with the largest populations of internally displaced people are Syria (6.5 million) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (5.2 million). – Source: UNDP

Obesity is on the rise and it can carry serious health consequences with it. Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. Obesity and being overweight are linked to more deaths worldwide than being underweight. Globally, more people are obese than underweight—except for parts of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Here are some facts on the epidemic: In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight. 650 million of them were obese. 39% of adults were overweight in 2016, and 13% of adults were obese. Most people live in countries where obesity and being overweight kills more people than being underweight. 39 million children under 5 years of age were overweight or obese in 2020. More than 340 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 were overweight or obese in 2016. In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight. Of these over 650 million adults were obese. In 2016, 39% of adults (39% of men and 40% of women) were overweight. About 13% of the world’s adult population (11% of men and 15% of women) were obese in 2016. In Africa, the number of overweight children under 5 has increased by nearly 24% percent since 2000. Almost half of the children under 5 who were overweight or obese in 2019 lived in Asia. – Source: WHO

We are all concerned about greenhouse gases. But what are they? And where do they come from? Here are the Big Four and their percentage of total greenhouse gas emissions: Carbon dioxide (CO2):The primary source is fossil fuel 65%), but it also comes from forestry and other land use, (11%) Methane (CH4): Agriculture, waste management, energy use, and the burning of biomass contribute to CH4 emissions, (16 %) Nitrous oxide (N2O): Agriculture, such as fertilizer application, is the primary source of N2O emissions. Fossil fuel combustion is also a source of N2O, (6%) Fluorinated gases (F-gases): Industry, refrigeration, and the use of certain consumer products contribute to F-gases emissions, which include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), (2%) What sectors are cranking out greenhouse gases? Percentages, please! Electricity and Heat Production (25%): Burning coal, natural gas, and oil for electricity and heat is the number one source of global greenhouse gas emissions. Industry (21%): Emissions from industry primarily involve burning fossil fuels at facilities for energy. This includes emissions from chemical, metallurgical, and mineral transformation processes and emissions from waste management activities. Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (24%): Deforestation and agriculture (cultivation of crops and livestock) are the major emitters in this sector. The above estimate does not include the CO2 that ecosystems remove from the atmosphere by sequestering carbon, which offset approximately 20% of emissions from this sector.[2] Transportation (14%): The emissions from this sector primarily involve fossil fuels burned for major types of transportation. Most (95%) of the world's transportation energy comes from petroleum-based fuels, mostly gasoline and diesel. Buildings (6%): Onsite energy generation and burning fuels for heat in buildings or cooking in homes are the emitters in this sector. (Note: Emissions from electricity use in buildings are excluded here.) Other Energy (10%): This source of emissions involves all emissions from the Energy sector not directly associated with electricity or heat production, such as fuel extraction and refining. – Source: Report from EPA data

Some of cancer’s many triggers are carcinogens in the environment. Knowing the facts can help reduce the risk. Cancer arises from the transformation of normal cells into malignant tumors. These changes can result from interaction with three categories of external agents, including: Physical carcinogens, such as ultraviolet and ionizing radiation; Chemical carcinogens, such as asbestos, components of tobacco smoke, aflatoxin (a food contaminant), and arsenic (a drinking water contaminant); and Biological carcinogens, such as infections from certain viruses, bacteria, or parasites Of the nearly 10 million deaths from cancer in 2020; the most common (in terms of new cases of cancer) were: Breast (2.26 million cases); Lung (2.21 million cases); Colon and rectum (1.93 million cases); Prostate (1.41 million cases); Skin (non-melanoma) (1.20 million cases); and Stomach (1.09 million cases). The most common causes of cancer death in 2020 were: Lung (1.80 million deaths); Colon and rectum (935,000 deaths); Liver (830,000 deaths); Stomach (769,000 deaths); and Between 30 and 50% of all cancers can currently be prevented by avoiding risk factors. Cancer risk can be reduced by: Avoiding tobacco use; Eating a healthy diet, including fruit and vegetables; Avoiding alcohol abuse; Avoiding ultraviolet radiation (mostly from exposure to the sun); Limiting exposure (as far as is possible) to ionizing radiation from occupational or medical diagnostic imaging) Reducing exposure to outdoor air pollution and indoor air pollution, including radon. –Source: WHO

Agricultural runoff generally refers to what leaves a farmer’s field when it rains, as opposed to what stays there. When more nutrients can stay in the field, we avoid harmful outcomes such as eutrophication—algae blooms in water systems that are fed by nitrogen and phosphorous runoff from fertilizers. Here is some US agricultural data to help you size up the situation: About 300 million acres of land are used for crop farming in the US. US conservation practices implemented from 2003 to 2006 lowered edge-of-field nitrogen losses by 3.8 billion lbs annually and edge-of-field phosphorus losses by 584 million pounds annually. That’s nearly enough per year to fill 21,000 train cars stretching 237 miles. That’s an annual nitrogen fertilizer savings worth $927 million when held in field. One Ohio farmer who uses cover crops and no-till practices reports soil losses of under 100 pounds per year. In the Chesapeake Bay region in the mid-Atlantic US, conservation practices used by farmers in 2011 reduced nitrogen and phosphorus farm runoff to rivers and streams by 44% and 75%, respectively. Cropland conservation across the US’s Western Lake Erie basin in 2012 reduced farm runoff of phosphorus and nitrogen into Lake Erie by 41% and 17%, respectively. About 46% of US rivers and streams have excess nutrients, and 21% of US lakes have high levels of algal growth. Nearly 21% of US coastal waters have high nutrient levels. – Source: US Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency

Known as “sea cows,” manatees are a protected species of mammals that live in warm waters. Related to the elephant, they come with some surprising data: Manatees are large ocean mammals, averaging 10 feet in length and a weight of 1,200 pounds. There are three manatee species worldwide – West Indian, West African, and Amazonian. The two major threats to manatees are loss of habitat and collisions with boats and ships. Ocean temperatures below 68 degrees can kill manatees. Manatees spend eight hours per day feeding. They eat about 10% to 15% of their body weight each day. Manatees can hold their breath underwater for up to 20 minutes. On average, manatees surface every three to five minutes to breathe. Manatees swim along at an average speed of 3–5 miles per hour. The intestines of these non-carnivorous mammals can be up to 150 feet long. Manatees are one of the only animals that continuously replace their teeth throughout their lives. They have four sets of six to eight molars. When front molars wear down, they fall out and the molars behind them move into place. — Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Mudslides, or debris slides, claim several lives each year and destroy property and infrastructure. They often occur during intense rainfall on sloped soil that is already saturated. The clearing of land for agriculture or housing, or as a result of forest fires, is often blamed for these tragic occurrences. Some mudslides are triggered by volcanic eruptions. Mudslides can accelerate to speeds up to 35 mi (56 km) per hour. A series of mudslides in western Japan in 2018 killed over 170 people. Debris slides—known as pyroclastic flows—from certain volcanic eruptions can reach temperatures as hot as 1,500 ˚F and reach speeds of 100 mi (160 km) per hour to 150 mi (240 km) per hour. A huge pyroclastic surge from the US’s Mt. St. Helens destroyed an area of 230 square mi (368 square km) in 1980. A lahar, a volcanic mudslide composed of rock, mud, and water, can rush down slopes at 20 to 40 mi (32 to 64 km) per hour. Lahars can travel more than 50 mi (80 km). Looking like a flowing river of wet cement, a lahar may have a rock content up to 90% of its weight. Lahars are a serious threat to communities downstream from glacier-clad volcanoes. Lahars have killed more than 44,000 people worldwide since 1600, about 20% of volcano-related deaths. – Source: US Geological Survey, Department of the Interior

Water, water, everywhere. But what shape is it in? Here are some sobering figures provided by the United Nations: One-fifth of the world’s river basins are experiencing rapid changes in surface area. This indicates an increase in flooding, new reservoirs, and the drying up of water bodies. (UN-Water 2021) 21 million people, including 5 million children, live within 5 km of lakes with cloudy water that may indicate water pollution. (UN-Water 2021) More than 80% of wetlands are estimated to have been lost from before the Industrial Revolution. Only 10 to 12 million square km are estimated to remain. The area covered by coastal mangroves has declined by 4.2% since 1996. (UN-Water 2021) Water pollution increased since the 1990s in most Latin American, African and Asian rivers, with severe pathogen pollution affecting about one-third of their stretches. Ecosystems, particularly wetlands, are in decline in terms of the services they provide. Between $4.3 and $20.2 trillion worth of ecosystem services were lost annually between 1997 and 2011 due to land use change. Globally, the number of lakes with harmful algal blooms will increase by at least 20% until 2050. (UN DESA, 2012) Soil erosion carries off 25 to 40 billion tons of agricultural topsoil every year, reducing crop yields and the soil’s ability to hold and regulate water, carbon and nutrients. (FAO/ITPS, 2015a) Naturally occurring arsenic pollution in groundwater affects nearly 140 million people in 70 countries across the globe. (WHO, 2018) – Source: United Nations, Water and Ecosystems

Water stress relates not only to lack of access to fresh, clean water but to how much we use and how we use it. Here is some global data from the UN on the big picture of water stress: A “water-stressed” territory or country withdraws 25% or more of its renewable freshwater. Today, about 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed countries. About 733 million live in “high and critically water-stressed” nations. Five out of the globe’s 11 regions have estimated water stress values above 25%. 3.2 billion people live in agricultural territories with “high to very high water shortages or scarcity.” About 1.2 billion people live in “severely water-constrained agricultural areas.” Of all water withdrawals, 72% are used for agriculture, 16% by municipalities (for households and services), and 12% for industries. 450 million children live today in areas of “high or extremely high water vulnerability.” About 4 billion people suffer from “severe water scarcity” for at least one month of the year. It is estimated that 700 million people could be displaced by “intense water scarcity” by 2030. – Source: United Nations

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a division of the UN, issued a report ahead of COP26 on a role for nuclear power in achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Here is a peek at some of the data presented in the report: “Over the past five decades, nuclear power has cumulatively avoided the emission of about 70 gigatons (Gt) of carbon dioxide (CO2),” stated IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. Nuclear power “continues to avoid the emission of more than 1 Gt CO2 annually,” he added. Replacing 20% of coal generation with 250 GW of nuclear generation would reduce emissions by 2 Gt CO2 per year. That would reduce about 15% of electricity sector emissions per year. Nuclear power accounts for 10% of global electricity generation. Production of nuclear power provides over 800,000 jobs. Nuclear power generates 70% of Poland’s electricity and creates 200,000 jobs. Poland plans to build more plants. Production losses from weather-related outages at nuclear power plants have declined over the past 10 years. – Source: International Atomic Energy Agency

According to UNICEF, drones are coming into wider use in emergencies because of their ability to transport “temperature-sensitive cargo, restock essential medicines and supplies, and deliver life-saving emergency items in humanitarian contexts.” Their unique mobility suits them to vaccine delivery in remote communities and for aerial imaging for disaster response and preparation. Here are some numbers on how their use is being explored: Malawi has developed the world’s largest “test corridor” for testing drone use in emergencies; it covers roughly 2000 sq mi (or over 5000 sq km), allowing tests up to 400 m above ground. Following the 2016 announcement of the corridor project, 12 NGOs, universities, and companies applied to use it. The Republic of Vanuatu, comprised of 83 islands, is working with UNICEF to test drones for delivering vaccines kept at temperatures between 35 to 46°F (2 to 8°C). A one-month-old baby in Vanuatu was the world’s first to receive a vaccine delivered commercially by a drone. One in 5 children misses their childhood vaccines in Vanuatu. A drone traveled 25 mi (40 km) over rugged mountains to deliver vaccines for 13 children and 5 pregnant women. The UNICEF Innovation Fund seeks to make up to $100K equity-free investments to finance for-profit start-ups that can use drones to benefit humanity. – Source: UNICEF

Krill are chill when it comes to feeding the world. These small crustaceans come in numbers big enough to do the job. “Krill” is a name used to describe about 86 species of crustaceans belonging to a group called euphausiids. Antarctic krill is one of five krill species that lives in the Southern Ocean. Krill can range in size from less than 1 cm in length to 6 cm for the largest krill species in the Southern Ocean. One deep-sea krill species can reach 14 cm. There are about 400 million tons of Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean. Krill can lay as many as 8000 eggs per brood. Population densities can reach 30,000 individuals per cubic meter. Krill adults may live from 5 to 10 years. Krill can go as long as 200 days without food. – Source: Australian Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment