Random facts 1C

Climate adaption

 * 95 per cent of all deaths from disasters over the past 25 years have been in low- and middle-income nations — and very few businesses or households in these nations have insurance to help them recover. Source: International Institute for Environment and Development, November 2007

Climate change

 * At its lowest point during the 2007 summer melting season, sea ice coverage in the Arctic stood at 1.59 million square miles, compared with the previous low of 2.05 million square miles in 2005. The long-term average between 1979 and 2000 is 2.60 million square miles. Source: National Snow and Ice Data Centre, USA topic, Polar ice packs


 * Of the 33 cities projected to have at least 8 million residents by 2015, at least 21 are coastal cities that will have to contend with sea-level rise from climate change. Source: Worldwatch Institute


 * Collectively the G8 nations, which represent just 13 per cent of the world's population, are responsible for around 43 per cent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. That's climate injustice, because climate change impacts most severely upon the world's poorest people. Source: Friends of the Earth topic

Climate change UK

 * Three quarters of the UK population would support the introduction of a new law to combat climate change. Friends of the Earth / See also Carbon Dioxide emissions by UK region

Credit unions

 * Worldwide, there are more than 157 million credit union members in 92 countries. Source: Worldwatch Institute / Ethical finance

Coasts

 * Research shows that 634 million people - one tenth of the global population - live in coastal areas that lie within just ten metres above sea level. International Institute for Environment and Development, March 28 2007 / Climate change global news

Community involvement UK

 * 37 per cent of people feel they can influence decisions affecting their local area. 20 per cent feel they could influence decisions affecting Great Britain. Source: 2007 Citizenship Survey, Communities and Local Government. Both measures have fallen since 2001 where they were at 44 per cent and 25 per cent respectively.

Cycling in London

 * Transport for London has installed 10,000 cycling parking spaces across the capital in the past two years, August 9 2007. Source: GLA

Drought in England and Wales

 * In the South East, there is less water per person than in Syria or the Sudan. Source: Defra, 26 April 2007
 * In the Thames river catchment in southern England total rainfall over the last two November-April periods has been the lowest since the 1890s. Source: Defra, The environment in your pocket 2006