asia

In 2012, the World Bank updated its estimates of global poverty rates. The results for the latest years studied — 2005 to 2008 — indicated that the percentage of people living below the poverty line declined for all six regions studied. This was the first decline over a three-year period since 1981.

According to 2012 estimates by the World Health Organization, as many as 34 million people globally are infected with HIV, a condition that causes progressive failure of the immune system.

Following the destructive 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the United States Tsunami Warning and Education Act was signed December 2006. Among other things, the act called for broadening of the global historical tsunami database to include data on coastal water levels, damage reports and deep-water changes.

A sustained period of fast economic growth nations such as China, Japan and South Korea has corresponded with an ever-increasing demand for energy.  To meet this demand, these countries have invested significantly in green technology.  The significant progress made is underscored in 2009 as China is reported to have passed the U.S. in clean energy investment and finance.

Bicycle commuting is a relatively common in many parts of Europe, China and India, but less so elsewhere. While it is gaining support in the United States — a federal tax break for bicycle commuters became law in 2008 — it remains significantly less popular here than abroad.

As the economic output and populations of China, India and Brazil grow, the countries’ energy consumption will continue to rise. Because traditional energy sources such as oil and coal are both nonrenewable and limited, these countries are pushing to develop new forms of alternative energy. Given that the United States remains the highest per capita consumer of energy, the need for sustainable energy sources is considered by many domestically to be a vital national interest.