Vital Signs 1997

July 1997
ISBN: 0-393-31637-8
165 pages

Print Version$12.00Add to Cart

The global trends documented in Vital Signs 1997—from food supply to human health—will play a large role in determining the quality of our lives and our children's lives in the next decade.

Written by the Institute's award-winning research team, the sixth volume in the series lets readers track key indicators that show social, economic and environmental progress, or lack of it. This authoritative data has been distilled form thousands of documents obtained from government, industry, scientists, and international organizations into forty-five "vital signs" of our times.

Each year, Vital Signs presents emerging trends in more than one hundred clear and compelling charts, tables, and graphs, accompanied by concise, thoughtful analysis. Among the findings in the 1997 edition:

Whether you read Vital Signs 1997 for a preview of the next decade or to verify a particular trend, you will find it comprehensive and authoritative.

Vital Signs 1997 Table of Contents

PART ONE: Key Indicators


Food Trends

  • World Grain Harvest Sets Record
  • Soybean Harvest Recovers to Near Record
  • Meat Production Growth Slows
  • Global Fish Catch Remains Steady
  • Grain Stocks Up Slightly

Agriculture Resource Trends

  • Fertilizer Use Rising Again
  • Grain Area Jumps Sharply
  • Irrigated Area Up Slightly

Energy Trends

  • Fossil Fuel Use Surges to New High
  • Nuclear Power Inches Up
  • Geothermal Power Rises
  • Wind Power Growth Continues
  • Solar Cell Shipments Keep Rising

Atmospheric Trends

  • Carbon Emissions Set New Record
  • Sulfer and Nitrigen Emissions Unchanged
  • Global Temperature Down Slightly

Economic Trends

  • World Economy Expands Faster
  • Roundwood Production Rises Again
  • Storm Damages Set Record

Transportation Trends

  • Automobile Fleet Expands
  • Bicycle Production Still Rising

Social Trends

  • Population Increase Slows Slightly
  • Refugee Population Has Rare Decline
  • HIV/AIDS Pandemic Broadens Reach

Military Trends

  • U.N. Peacekeping Declines Sharply
  • Armed Forces Continue Demobilization

PART TWO: Special Features


Environmental Features

  • Forest Loss Continues
  • Ecosystem Conversion Spreads
  • Primate Diversity Dwindling Worldwide
  • Ozone Response Accelerates

Economic Features

  • Sustainable Development Threatened
  • Food Aid Falls Sharply
  • R&D Spending Levels Off
  • Agriculture Grows in Cities
  • Gap in Income Distribution Widening
  • Electric Cars Hit the Road
  • Arms Production Falls

Social Features

  • Global Population Growing Older
  • Noncommunicable Diseases Rising
  • Maternal Mortality Remains High
  • Half of Languages Becoming Extinct