China has overtaken the United States as the world’s biggest producer of carbon dioxide. Total fossil CO2 emissions of China increased in 2006 by 8.7%. - The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency

By 2020, London could see twice as many days exceed temperatures of 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) in London each summer. By 2050, there will be between three to five times as many hot days in the British capital. - Global Development and Environment Institute, Tufts University

The Arctic's climate is changing, with a noticeable warming trend that is affecting polar bears. Scientists predict a mostly ice-free Arctic summer by 2040 if present trends continue. - Polar Bears International

Denmark is considered a global giant when it comes to wind energy, with about 20% of the Scandinavian country’s electricity consumption of 32 000 MW generated by wind, growing to 25% in 2009, and a possible 50% by 2025. - Engineering News Online

Pesticide use causes 3.5 to 5 million acute poisonings globally every year, especially among farmers and their families who are in direct contact with agrochemicals. - World Resources Institute

France gets a zero in “marine protected areas” along with nations like Haiti and Nigeria, according to EPI. France has allowed its boats to overfish the bluefin tuna, an endangered species, leading to a decline of 80% in stocks. - EPI

According to the weekly Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, around one third of all the water-power installations in the world are produced by German firm Voith from Heidesheim, while every other wind turbine and every third solar cell are German-made. - Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung

Italians are among the highest in Europe in terms of domestic energy bill. Italy’s reliance on gas arriving through pipelines is growing, with 60% of the plants in Italy expected to be gas powered by 2010, compared with an average of 25% in other European countries BBC

Jute, cotton, hemp, linen and organic wool are increasingly among the favourites of today’s fashion designers around the world. NPD Group, a US market-research firm, finds that there has been a 12 percent increase in the number of consumers who know eco-fashion compared to six percent four years earlier. Business Daily

Landfill sites have been investigated as the possible cause of birth defects, cancers and respiratory illnesses including asthma. One tonne of biodegradable waste produces between 200 and 400 cubic metres of landfill gas. The Environment Agency