The Human Impacts Database

A collection of useful numbers for quantifying the impacts of the human presence on Earth.


Quantity Value HuID Source Type
Number of installed AC units worldwide ≈ 1.6 × 109 units 10507 International Energy Agency
Median mass concentration of plastic in rivers ≈ 5.5 × 10-6 kg / m3 20155 Laurent C.M. Lebreton, Joost van …
Global water volume used by humans 1.713 × 1012 m3 / yr 27342 Quin, Y., Mueller, N. D., …
Total global primary energy consumption ≈ 5.8 × 1020 J / yr 31373 British Petroleum
Fallout mass of Pu-239 and Pu-240 from atmospheric weapons testing 3360 kg 42526 Hancock, G.J., Tims, S.G., Fifield, …
Global net addition to plastics stocks (1.2 ± 0.18) × 1011 kg / yr 55989 Krausmann, F., Wiedenhofer, D., Lauk, …
Total global water withdrawal ≈ 2.2 × 1012 m3 / yr 68004 FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization …
Global water volume used for domestic and municipal purposes 5.37 × 1010 m3 / yr 69424 Quin, Y., Mueller, N. D., …
Global human population ≈ 8 × 109 people 85255 FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) …
Global annual energy consumption ≈ 6.3 × 1020 J / yr 85317 U.S. Energy Information Administration