Halcyon In Figures

Globally, 85% of oyster beds had basically disappeared by early 2011, making oyster beds potentially the most severely impacted marine habitat in the world.

The rapid rise in smartphone ownership could lead to rapid growth in micro-volunteering.

Bringing cutting-edge scientific research to doctors and researchers in poor countries who can't afford expensive medical journals helps reduce the scientific knowledge gap between industrialised countries and the developing world.

• Equality - there are signs of further growth in global inequality and the inability of international financial institutions to keep up with and forcefully counteract this trend.

• Animal Rights - consumer power and legislation are pushing cosmetics firms to devise new ways to assess products for safety - is this the beginning of the end of animal testing?

• Cooperation/Innovation/Technology - international cooperation between rich and poor countries will be key to unleashing the social and environmental change potential of advanced new technologies.

• Gender - violence against girls in and around educational institutions remains "pervasive," says a new report published for International Women's Day.

• Equality/Gender - despite a century of change, many women are still striving for true equality across the globe.

• Diversity/Science - scientists are to release the first draft of an Encyclopedia of Life detailing everything known about all living organisms, from the aardvark to the zebu.

• Food/Sustainability - livestock production is already responsible for almost one-fifth of global emissions, and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation predicts that global meat and dairy production will more than double in the next 40 years.

• Activism/Listening - one man kept quiet for 17 years as he walked around the earth; "carrying a message of respect for the earth", just so that he could listen to others.

• Activism/Diversity - a renowned global activist wants to build a "dictionary of mankind" that will record every human society on earth and he is calling on other "unreasonable people" to help him do so.

• Poverty - 25,000 empty plates lined the street in front of the UN yesterday - the same number as those dying of hunger on a daily basis.

• Energy - the very fast growth of renewable energy markets, policies, industries, and rural applications around the world is catapulting the industry into the mainstream of the energy sector.

• Food - global inventories of grains are nearing historic lows. Meanwhile wheat, rice and soybean prices have reached all-time highs. Some experts predict food shortages to last for decades.

• Conflict - 82 nations have endorsed a draft treaty to ban cluster munitions, which cause horrific civilian casualties during wars and remain deadly long after fighting has ended.

• Responsibility - some experts believe that the concept of "corporate social responsibility" is effectively dead.

• Connection - "Pangea Day" in May 2008 aims to strengthen tolerance and compassion by uniting millions through films that will try to cut across borders, difference, and conflict.