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Trends in Sustainable Development Reports

Trends CoverTrends in Sustainable Development
:: 2006-2007

Trends in Sustainable Development, is a colourful compilation of maps and graphs devoted to the discussion of interrelated challenges being addressed at the 14th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (May 1-12, 2006). The four areas are: energy for sustainable development, industrial development, atmosphere and air pollution, and climate change.

Progress in reducing air pollution and ozone depletion has occurred because governments, businesses, and non-governmental organizations have taken these challenges seriously. We still have problems where we need to do more. There are 1.6 billion people who don't have access to electricity and 2.4 billion who still use firewood or dung to cook and heat. We need reliable and clean energy for industrial and economic development, and if we are to address climate change, we need to implement solutions now" says JoAnne DiSano, Director of the UN Division for Sustainable Development.

  • The world is gradually shifting to cleaner forms of energy, but traditional biomass is still widely used in the household sector of some developing regions.
  • The developed countries remain the world's largest industrial producers, but the centre of gravity has begun to shift towards the developing world. Developing countries account for roughly one-third of global manufactured exports, up from 18% in 1980.
  • The phase-outs of leaded gasoline & CFCs are global success stories but particulate air pollution & SO2 emissions remain high in many developing country cities.
  • The transport sector has seen substantial growth in greenhouse emissions. In developed countries emissions from international aviation have grown twice as fast as overall transport emissions.

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