Examples
The UN estimates that half of the world’s population, 3.2 billion, now live in cities, compared with 13% (0.2 billion) in 1900, 29% (0.7 billion) in 1950, and 37% (1.5 billion) in 1975. In 2030 4.9 billion people, roughly 60% of the world's population, are expected to be urban dwellers.1
According to the ILO, at least 12.3 million people are the victims of forced labour worldwide, and of these 2.4 million are as a result of human trafficking.2
The ILO also estimated in 2006 that 218 million children aged 5-17 are engaged in child labour, excluding domestic child labour. Some 126 million of these children are believed to be engaged in hazardous situations or conditions, such as working in mines, working with chemicals and pesticides in agriculture or working with dangerous machinery.3
2007 estimates by the World Bank conclude that the number of people living on less than $1 a day has fallen from 1.25 billion in 1990 to below 1 billion in 2004. 2.6 billion people, almost half the population of the developing world, are estimated to be living on less than $2 a day.4
Between 1981 and 2001, more than 400 million people have been lifted above the $1 a day mark in China alone.5
Eleven out of the last 12 years (1995 to 2006) – the exception being 1996 - rank among the 12 warmest years on record since 1850.6
Approximately 60% (15 out of 24) of the ecosystem services examined for the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment published in 2005 are being degraded or used unsustainably, including fresh water, capture fisheries, air and water purification, and the regulation of regional and local climate, natural hazards and pests.7
The number of people carried by IATA member airlines rose from 1.2 billion in 1996 to 2.2 billion in 2006.8
According to the 2006 UNDP Human Development Report, global average life expectancy rose from 60 in 1975 to 67 in 2005. Infant mortality rates have dropped from 97 per 1,000 live births in 1970 to 53 in 2004. Mortality rates for under-fives dropped from 147 per 1,000 live births in 1970 to 77 in 2004. Between 1990 and 2004, the proportion of the world’s population with sustainable access to an improved water source rose from 78% to 83%. The proportion with sustained access to improved sanitation rose from 49% to 59%.9
The World Bank reports that the developing world accounted for 46% of world output in 2005, up from 39% in 1995.10
In 1957, the top 50 companies in the US included 11 from the oil industry, seven metals producers, six from the aerospace sector and six from the auto industry. In 2007, 15 of the top 50 were from the financial sector, eight were retailers and five were oil companies.11
Emerging economies, particularly those of Russia, China and India, are growing faster than those of developed markets. According to one estimate, by 2050, the combined economies of China, India, Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, Mexico and Turkey will have outstripped those of the US, Japan, Germany, UK, France, Italy and Canada by around 25%.12
In 2006, companies raised more money through initial public offerings on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange than on any other exchange.13
Between 2004 and 2006, the number of companies from emerging countries in the Financial Times Global 500 rose by 26, while the number of companies based in the US fell by 30.14
Trade continues to grow - with the value of merchandise exports rising 13% to $10.16 trillion in 2005 - but its growth is decelerating as agreement on liberalisation proves hard to reach.15
The total number of all investment related agreements (including bilateral investment treaties, double taxation treaties and free trade agreements with investment provisions) stood at 5,500 at the beginning of 2007.16
UNCTAD estimates that in 2005 there were more than 77,000 multinational companies. Of these, 2,814 were based in the US, 7,460 headquartered in South Korea and 5,658 in Japan.17 In 1962 almost 60% of the 500 largest corporations in the world were U.S. corporations,18 but by 2006 American corporations accounted for only 34% of the total.19
Sales of ‘Fairtrade’ labelled goods were worth €1.1 billion in 2005 - 37% more than the year before.20