Global warming is changing our environment. See how we can adapt to droughts, rising sea levels, and desertification.
Migration, aging population, work force size, gender imbalance, urbanization - China is breaking records across the board. Take a look at the country's most important demographic trends.
More than 650 million people worldwide are disabled. Here are some of the tools and features that can help improve their lives.
Human civilization has changed the face of the Earth. With a growing world population, more pristine nature is being domesticated or turned into cities. See astonishing examples of this process from around the world.
Empty cradles and empty towns. Learn about the challenges of demographic change in Germany.
Living longer lives, more and more are people retiring the idea of retirement, and starting a second career in their later years. Lifelong learning, the idea behind such prolonged careers, benefits both employer and employee. Learn more.
Antarctica is the coldest, highest, and driest continent on Earth. For decades, scientists here used oil heating and produced tons of garbage. Belgium's new Princess Elisabeth Antarctica research station relies on renewable energy and sustainable waste treatment. See how it works.
Paved with concrete and tarmac, many cities turn into 'heat islands' once the sun comes out. Harvesting this energy could help solve energy problems and cool down overheated cities.
Does the Earth need sunglasses? Take a look at some of the solutions scientists and engineers have proposed to halt global warming and make the planet a bit cooler.
How much water do we need for agriculture and industry? How good is our water infrastructure? Who suffers from drought? Maps from worldmapper.org represent how the water situation differs in each country.
Power blackouts happen all over the world. Without electricity, public live comes to a halt. Find out why blackouts happen and learn about their consequences.
Several diseases have the potential to become epidemics or even pandemics, spreading rapidly and affecting many people over a large area. Major outbreaks have cost billions of lives throughout history. See which diseases still threaten us today.
A review of ten of the world's most innovative and important microfinance organizations and projects.
Water consumption is growing twice as fast as the number of people living on Earth. Billions of people depend on water from a handful of major rivers. Find out more about the world's most important rivers.
In recent years, floods have affected a growing number of regions more heavily and frequently. Find out more about causes, impacts, and how to limit their damage.
The nuclear energy sector came to virtual standstill after the catastrophic 1986 accident in Chernobyl. Over 20 years later, global warming has displaced nuclear catastrophes as public concern number one, and nuclear energy is making an unexpected comeback. Find out about the pros and cons.
A closer look at eight gadgets and techniques that could help the world cope with water scarcity.
Carbon offsetting gives individuals, organizations, and countries to neutralize their carbon emissions. Find out what types of carbon offsets there are, and if they really help the planet.
France stands out as the only European Union country with the highest fertility. See what else characterizes demographic change in the Hexagone.
The 2008 World Economic Forum in Davos will focus on major risks and how to manage them in the future. See the most important economic and political risks mentioned in WEF's "Global Risks 2008" report.
Arctic ice is melting faster than ever. While climate scientists fear a runaway greenhouse effect, politicians are fighting over oil and other resources locked away in the Arctic seabed. Take a look at how far the ice is melting and what is at stake.
What causes more greenhouse gas emissions - driving a car or rearing cattle? Here are some surprising facts about the environmental impacts of animal farming.
Over 180 countries have been meeting on the Indonesian island of Bali to discuss the future of international climate protection. Here are the key issues that will were keep on dominating future climate negotiations.
Along with hydropower, scientists are developing other ways of generating energy from the world's water resources. See the most promising examples.
The world faces an unsustainable energy future if governments do not radically change their energy policies in the next ten years, according to the World Energy Outlook 2007 published by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Here are the essential facts at a glance.
How much oil is left? This gallery shows the ten countries that have the biggest proven oil reserves worldwide. The world depends on their oil, but many of these countries are politically instable. Figures used come from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Dams are the most common way of generating energy from the flow of water. Now investors are trying to tap into the massive energy resources of ocean waves and tides.
A closer look at human uses of bioenergy, from the most primitive techniques to the cutting-edge production of biogas and biofuels.
Coal, a non-renewable energy source, is the most polluting of all fossil fuels. However, it is the source of 25 percent of the energy used worldwide, and is likely to remain so for decades to come.
Some experts claim that we are exhausting our potential for wind power production. A study from the university of Stanford shows that the Earth still has many more potential locations for wind parks, both on land and offshore. Check if your home is one of them.
The Earth receives more energy from the sun on a single day than mankind uses in a year. But after decades of technological development, direct solar energy remains a tiny sliver in the global energy mix.
Natural gas was formed millions of years ago from organic remains of marine organisms. It produces less carbon dioxide and pollution than any other fossil fuel, but resources are limited.
On these maps from worldmapper.org, countries are not reproduced in their normal size, but according to their population size or the number of immigrants received. The maps give an alternative view of the world and the relationships between countries.
About three percent of world population are not living in the country in which they were born. Some leave because of repression and war, others are looking for economic prosperity. Find out where migration is happening and why.
Just as biofuels are booming, they are being critized as unsustainable. But there are dozens of way to produce fuel from crops. See five of the most important plants, where they are grown, and whether or not they actually help fight climate change.
Since its foundation, the United States has been the world's "melting pot." Migration patterns have changed, but the U.S. remains multicultural nation. Maps based on the U.S. Census 2000 show the country's biggest ethnic groups and where they are based.
Biodiversity - the Earth's natural balance of plants and animals - helps mitigate the effects of climate change. When it is destroyed, both nature and people suffer.
From 2008, more than half of the world's population will live in cities. Most megacities suffer from pollution and overpopulation. Some well-run cities, however, could be role models for an increasingly urban world.
Growing global energy demand and concerns about global warming are helping to direct billions of dollars of investment into renewable energies. Here is a look at some of the renewables getting the most interest.
Will Brazil's leadership in renewable energy and biofuels help to fight global warming or will it even spur the destruction of its rainforests? Take a look at some of the challenges and opportunites that global warming presents to South America's largest country.
What is the most important source of greenhouse gas emissions - transportation or industry? Neither. Buildings are responsible for the biggest share. The gallery presents fascinating examples of green architecture around the world.
In 2000 world leaders committed themselves to one of the most ambitious projects in the history of mankind - the UN Development Goals (MDGs). By 2015, they promised to halve the number of people living from less than a dollar day and fulfill seven other ambitious aims.
Fighting climate change is badly needed and some governments have begun to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Here are five actions your national and local government can take to address climate change. What has your government done so far?
Nearly every week a new coal power plant is added to China's electricity grid. Pollution has become an integral part of everyday life in most cities. China's rise has a number of impacts on its environment and climate, but there are also signs for change.
Be it population or economy - India is growing. On the flipside, environemntal and climate risks are increasing, too. Take a virtual tour around the subcontinent to see the problems and possible solutions.
Britain is a global leader in climate change policy, but many challenges remain as the country seeks to curb greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of global warming.
Germany is among the few industrialized countries worldwide that managed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels. However, the world's fourth biggest emitter of carbon dioxide is still far from being a climate change role model. Take a virtual tour around Germany and learn about its climate change reality.
How will climate change affect the United States, and how is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases reacting to this threat? See how climate change affects the U.S. and what U.S. Americans do about it.
The most important graphics and facts of the UN report Climate Change 2007 at a glance. See likely climate scenarios for the 21st century and find out where and how to fight climate change effectively.
