Government has released the first 'Environment Statistics Compendium' – revealing trends in land use, fishing, energy and water consumption, transportation and population, and environmental health.

Among the Department of Statistics findings, last year our fuel consumption rose by 10 percent, but the number of registered vehicles on the roads dropped by 3.4 percent.

Chief Statistician Valerie Robinson-James says the figures will be used to steer Government's Sustainable Development Strategy and Implementation Plan. In a statement in the report's foreword, she says: "The Department of Statistics' vision, regarding this programme, is to develop a core set of environmental statistics and indicators for Bermuda.

"Additionally, these statistics and indicators are provided to support and guide the Government's Sustainable Development Strategy and Implementation Plan for Bermuda within the theme of 'Protecting and Enhancing Our Environment and Natural Resources'.

"Moreover, it is hoped that the contents of this report will serve as an evidence-based tool for proposals advanced at various levels of the consultation process towards a national consensus."

She adds: "The thrust of this project is to ensure that environmental considerations are integrated within social and economic planning contexts."

The report breaks down into nine sections: Agriculture and Lane Use; Biodiversity; Coastal and Marine Resources; Energy; Minerals and Transport; Environmental Health; Natural and Environmental Disasters; Population and Households; Tourism; and Water.

It reveals a rise in consumption of imported gas oils by more than half, between 2006-7. Imports of 'Heavy Atmospheric Gas Oils' (HAGO) – what Belco uses to run its power station, increased by seven-fold. In 2006, 5.5 million litres were imported, at a cost of $4m, but in 2007, this jumped to 36.8 million litres, at a cost of $18.4m.

In 2006 the Island spent $19.4m on 36.5 million litres of gas oil/diesel but last year this rose by almost 20 million litres to reach 56.8 million litres at a cost of $27.3m.

Light oil imports such as petrol/gasoline also increased, from 36.6m ($18.4m) to 37.2m litres, costing $19.9m. Use of kerosene and other medium oils rose from 362,971 litres ($169,229) to 791,505 litres ($459,548).

In total, the quantity of imported fuel rose from 197.2m litres in 2006 to 217.5m litres in 2007 – adding another $10 million to the Island's fuel bill.

Our electricity consumption jumped from 9,896 kWh per capita in 2006 to 10,058 last year.

There were 48,054 road vehicles registered in 2007, compared to 49,721 in 2006. This breaks down into 22,617 private cars (22,371 in 2006), and 14,398 motorcycles (14,078 in 2006). Tractors and trailers showed a marked increase - from 358 to 716, but buses, taxis and limousines dropped from 789 in 2006 to 765 in 2007.

Bucking the general trend of less licensed vehicles on the road, Government private (GP) vehicles rose by more than ten percent – from 91 to 102 last year.

In terms of population, the number of people in Bermuda increased from 63,797 in 2006 to 64,009 last year – the equivalent of 1,178 people per km square.

Environment Facts

Facts and figures from the Environment Statistics Compendium:

• Bermuda's population density was fairly high in 2007, with 1,200 persons living in one square kilometre of land area.

• In 2007, total water use was 8.6 million cubic metres. Households used 73 percent of this amount.

• Total electricity consumption in 2007 was 643 million kilowatts per hour. Businesses consumed about 50 percent of this, while residents used 42 percent. Each person consumes an average 10,058 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.

• Fuel consumption increased by 10 percent last year.

• Total registered road vehicles dropped by 3.4 percent in 2007 – from 49,700 in 2006 to 48,000.

The public can obtain copies of the Environment Statistics Compendium from www.statistics.gov.bm