Abstract:
EarthTrends is an online collection of information regarding the
environmental, social, and economic trends that shape our
world. Committed to the principle that accurate information drives
responsible decisions by governments and individuals, EarthTrends
offers the public a large breadth of statistical, graphic, and
analytical data in easily accessible formats.
...
Much of the environmental information on the internet is fragmented,
buried, or only available at a price. EarthTrends gathers data from
the world's leading statistical agencies, along with WRI-generated
maps and analyses, into a single database for rapid searching and
retrieving. To facilitate the comparison of data from different
sources, EarthTrends supplements its content with detailed metadata
that reports on research methodologies and evaluates the information's
reliability. All of these resources are made available to the public
at no charge.
Our users range from individuals who influence environmental policy
whether in governments, academia, corporations, think-tanks, or other
civil society groups to educators, students, and the public at
large. To meet their diverse needs, we present information in multiple
formats and differing levels of complexity.
Topic areas covered include:
- Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
- Water Resources and Freshwater Ecosystems
- Atmosphere and Climate
- Population, Health, and Human Well-Being
- Economics, Business, and the Environment
- Energy and Resources
- Biodiversity and Protected Areas
- Agriculture and Food
- Forests, Grasslands and Drylands
- Environmental Governance and Institutions
[Summary provided by WRI] 
