Nature · Facts & sources
4 sourced facts about natural resources -- energy, water and raw materials, each with the context behind the number. 4 more are in today's round and appear here after it closes.
Answerabout 20% a year
Renewable energy output grew by roughly 20% a year on average through the 2010s, the fastest-growing part of the energy mix.
Source: Energy data, via Wikipedia (2019) en.wikipedia.org
Answerabout 30%
Roughly 30% of Earth's surface has already been cropped for agriculture, a huge share of the planet's land resources.
Source: Nelson, cited via Wikipedia (2010) en.wikipedia.org
Answer8.5%
An estimated 8.5% of the world's forests have been affected by deforestation and degradation, a key resource-depletion measure.
Source: Nelson, cited via Wikipedia (2010) en.wikipedia.org
Answer0.014%
Only about 0.014% of all water on Earth is both fresh and easily accessible -- the rest is saltwater, ice, or deep underground.
Source: UN estimates, via Wikipedia (2019) en.wikipedia.org