Wind power existed in just a handful of countries in the 1990s, but now exists in over 82 countries.
In 2009 investment in wind generated power was the highest on record.

The education budget of a single country like France, Germany, Italy or the United Kingdom outweighs education spending across the entire sub-Saharan African region.

The population of older people worldwide is growing at more than double the annual rate of the population as a whole.

Young people, 15 to 24 years old, accounted for 40% of all new HIV infections among adults in 2008.

Competition for water exists at all levels and is forecast to increase with demands for water in almost all countries.

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

The world's six billion people are appropriating 54 percent of all the accessible freshwater contained in rivers, lakes and underground aquifers.

"Business as usual is no longer an option if we are to avoid irreversible damage to the life-support systems of our planet."

"Poverty has been created by the economic and social system that we have designed for the world. It is the institutions that we have built and feel so proud of, which created poverty."

"A bite of fair trade chocolate means a lot to farmers in the South. It opens the doors to development and gives children access to healthcare, education, and a decent standard of living."

Reduce reuse recycle

Scientists estimate that 150-200 species of plant, insect, bird and mammal become extinct every 24 hours. This is the highest extinction rate since the vanishing of the dinosaurs nearly 65m years ago.

"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed"

We need to push ourselves to make as many reductions as possible in our own energy use first and that takes time. But we must do this quickly. The climate will not wait for us.

Over 42 million people have been uprooted by conflict or persecution.

About three quarters of monitored marine fish stocks are now fully exploited, overexploited, or depleted.

The current financial turndown has meant a slower rate of poverty reduction. In 2009, fewer people left poverty as a result of the crisis.