News
Technology
International patent applications rose 0.7% in 2025
WIPO reported about 275,900 international applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty in 2025, a 0.7% increase from the prior year.
Data includedNEWSVERUM / Global briefing
169 storiesData desk
Data desk. Read the global briefing with original sources, data periods and context.
Compare only matching units, periods, scope and basis.
The numeric downloads select observed values by default. Forecasts and targets remain separately identified; a few indicators do not constitute an adequate forecasting history.
Data desk
View all subjects ↗Browse subjects
arts, culture, entertainment and media0crime, law and justice0disaster, accident and emergency incident0economy, business and finance408education1environment10health29human interest0labor14lifestyle and leisure0politics and government12religion0science and technology41society21sport0conflict, war and peace0weather0
Climate
Copernicus: Europe had record heat and widespread flooding in 2024
Europe’s warmest year on record was 2024. Flooding killed at least 335 people and affected an estimated 413,000.
Data included
Infrastructure
Eurostat: sea carried 67% of EU freight performance
By tonne-kilometres, maritime transport accounted for 67% of EU freight performance. Road’s share was 25.7%.
Data includedInfrastructure
Eurostat: EU inland waterway freight rose 4.5% in 2024
Freight performance grew 4.5% year over year, its first rise after two annual declines.
Data includedInfrastructure
Eurostat: EU rail passenger-kilometres rose 5.8% in 2024
Main undertakings reached 443 billion passenger-kilometres, up from 419 billion in 2023. The series began in 2004.
Data includedInfrastructure
Eurostat: EU railway accident deaths fell 10.8% in 2024
Accident deaths fell from 841 in 2023 to 750. Unauthorised people on tracks accounted for 65.6%.
Data includedInfrastructure
Eurostat: EU road freight tonnage fell 0.7% in 2024
Tonnage declined 0.7%, while tonne-kilometre performance rose 0.7%.
Data includedTechnology
IMF: Digital financial transactions rose to 251 per adult
The IMF’s 2025 Financial Access Survey reported that digital transactions, including mobile money and mobile and internet banking, rose from 55 per adult in 2017 to 251 in 2024.
Data includedTechnology
OECD: Business AI adoption differs widely across countries
In OECD’s 2025 analysis, 13.9% of businesses in the OECD area and 13.5% in the EU-27 used AI solutions in 2024.
Data includedClimate
UNEP: a 42% emissions cut by 2030 is needed for 1.5°C
Annual greenhouse-gas emissions need to fall 42% by 2030 and 57% by 2035 from 2019 levels.
Data includedTechnology
WIPO: Global patent filings reached 3.7 million in 2024
WIPO’s 2025 indicators report counted 3.7 million patent applications worldwide in 2024, a 4.9% annual increase.
Data includedClimate
WMO: 2024 set a global temperature record
Surface temperature was 1.55 ± 0.13°C above 1850–1900. WMO cautioned against conflating a single year with the long-term threshold.
Data included