The signs of increasing dissipating consumption

BETWEEN the 1960s and 1990s, if there is one thing that is different, it is the level of material consumption of the richer sections of the world. Says Swedish environmentalist Anders Wijkman, "When I used to go to school in the 1950s, I was one of the few kids in my class with a car in the family. But my kids will now find it difficult to find a classmate whose family does not own a car."

Literacy as a yardstick of social health

THE LITERACY level of a country both reflects and influences its economic and social status. It also has a close bearing with a country's population growth rate. In India, the Kerala example shows the correlation clearly. Generally speaking, those states that have low female literacy levels have high growth rates, though, of course, there are other factors that influence demography as well.

Growing urban pressures

INDIA has been witnessing an explosive urbanisation. The percentage of total population living in urban areas increased from 17.3 in 1951 to 25.7 in 1991. But during 1981-91, the annual rate of urban growth decreased to 3.09 per cent, compared to 3.83 per cent per year during 1971-81.

The patents business

INDIANS still do not have the culture of seeking patents. Over the last 15 years, foreigners have obtained two to three times more patents in India every year than Indians. In 1989-90, Indians held less than one-fifth of all patents in force in India. Of the 1,040 Indian applications filed for patents in 1989-90, 32 per cent and 25 per cent came from Delhi and Maharashtra respectively, which is probably reflective of the large number of scientific and technological personnel in these areas.

Health and economy

A COUNTRY'S economic strength influences its health level, which, in turn, is correlated with its average income level. When the economy grows, the people's health should also improve. The gross domestic product (GDP) of the industrialised West grew five-fold between 1960 and 1980. Meanwhile, male life expectancy increased by 2.7 years and by 4.4 years for females.

R&D expenditure: A disturbing trend

THOUGH India now spends more than Rs 4,000 crore annually in research and development -- 87 per cent of which comes from government and public sector industries and the rest from the private sector -- as a percentage of the country's GNP, the R&D expenditure has been dropping steadily since 1987-88. Critical areas like health, energy and environment remain neglected and underfunded.

World status of land degradation

SOME 3.6 billion ha of the world's drylands -- about a third of the total -- are today lying in a state of degradation. The world would earn some US $42 billion every year in extra income if these lands were nursed back to health. Most of this income loss -- some US $30 billion -- is in the poor countries of Asia and Africa. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that US $8.6-18.2 billion are needed every year for 20 years to rehabilitate these lands.

The vital statistics of Rio

Source: Centre for Science and Environment.

Children: victims of war and poverty

WAR HAS emerged as a major child-killer in the 1980s. Some 1.5 million children died in conflicts; Five million were turned into refugees and another 12 million were rendered homeless. War caused just five per cent of the civilian deaths during the First World War; 50 per cent in the Second. Today it accounts for 80 per cent. The majority of victims were women and children. Lack of sanitation claims many young lives in the South. Some 82 per cent of the urban population have

Making hay while forests shine

THE latest Economic Survey (1991-92) presents a very interesting set of statistics. It shows that, out of all types of commercial undertakings of state departments, only those based on forests and mining have maintained a steady profit margin between 1985 and 1992, while all the others -- industrial firms, dairies, irrigation and power projects -- have suffered losses. This is when many minerals and forest resources are sold cheaply and