The Human Impacts Database

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


Quantity Value HuID Source Type
Total global water withdrawal ≈ 2.2 × 1012 m3 / yr 68004 FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization …
Volume of water in ocean-connected rivers that are free-flowing ≈ 3.07 × 1011 m3 69322 Grill, G., Lehner, B., Thieme, …
Global water volume used for domestic and municipal purposes 5.37 × 1010 m3 / yr 69424 Quin, Y., Mueller, N. D., …
Upper ocean temperature change 0.19 ± 0.03 ℃ 69674 Cheng, L., Trenberth, K. E., …
Northern Hemisphere sea ice extent 1.0549 × 107 km2 70188 Fetterer, F., K. Knowles, W. …
Annual average Arctic sea ice extent loss (5.52 ± 0.17) × 1010 m2 / yr 70818 Josefino C. Comiso, Walter N. …
Upper ocean temperature change 0.20 ± 0.02 ℃ 72086 National Centers for Environmental Information, …
Global surface specific humidity change 0.20 ± 0.10 g / kg 73015 Met Office Hadley Centre
Northern Hemisphere sea ice area 8.816 × 106 km2 73040 Fetterer, F., K. Knowles, W. …
Mountain glacier mass loss (1.23 ± 0.24) × 1014 kg / yr 74329 IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate …
Irrigated water requirement for wheat production ≈ 0.05 m3 / Mcal 75138 Eshel, G., Shepon, A., Makov, …
Global water volume used in hydroelectric power generation 2.45 × 1011 m3 / yr 77411 Quin, Y., Mueller, N. D., …
Global water volume used for thermal power generation 1.92 × 1010 m3 / yr 78784 Quin, Y., Mueller, N. D., …
Estimated global mean sea level rise since 1900 due to terrestrial water storage {-1 (+0.2, -0.1)} × 10-2 m 80658 Frederikse, T., Landerer, F., Caron, …
Global annual mean sea level rise 3.4 (-0.44, + 0.47) × 10-3 m / yr 81373 Frederikse, T., Landerer, F., Caron, …