Vital Waste Graphics 2

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ON THE WEB Global Footprint Network: www.footprintnetwork.org Population and development in the United Nations system: www.un.org/esa/population

THE HODSON FAMILY, UNITED KINGDOM

THE KAZUO UKITA FAMILY, JAPAN

Population by income level Thousand million

0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

2004

1960

Low income Consumption level

Middle income High income No data

THE WU FAMILY, CHINA

China and Indonesia joined the “middle income world” in the 1990s

Source: World Bank, 2006 (figures for 2005).

The rich world consumes more and thus produces more waste. The World Bank classification based on gross national income per capita is an indica- tion of the global consumption level. Over the last two decades the world as a whole did not get any richer but China and Indonesia, two densely popu- lated countries, entered the “middle income world”, as defined by the World Bank. Consumer items are available to a growing number of individuals, par- ticularly in the two countries. If they cannot disconnect economic growth from resource depletion and energy use, they will not be able to enjoy their new-found wealth for very long.

THE GETU FAMILY, ETHIOPIA