A recent UN report looked at critical trends in the global environment, focusing on fresh-water supply, food production, and deforestation. The study found that though progress had been made in the areas of population control and basic living standards, "the outlook for achieving sustainable development is not encouraging." Nonetheless, the report grudgingly concluded that "global catastrophe does not appear to be imminent."

Source: The United Nations' "Global Change and Sustainable Development: Critical Trends"