The report focuses strongly on what the institute sees as evidence of worsening global climate problems, including grain shortages, mounting insurance claims and anticipated rising food prices.

"In an era of high technology, humanity is suddenly struggling in 1996 with one of the most ancient of challenges: how to make it to the next harvest," warns Lester Brown, leader of the environmental research group for the last two decades.

Citing statistics from both government and private sources, the institute reports records in 1995 for several factors central to human welfare:

 The global grain harvest was the worst since 1988, and world grain reserves-the amount of grain available to humanity if all grain production ceased-reached an all-time low of only 48 days' consumption.

 World meat production reached a new high, putting even greater pressure on grain production. Meat consumption continues to grow in Asia, where population growth and prosperity are bringing rapid increases in demand.

 Insurance companies paid out $48 billion for weather-related damage in the first half of the 1990s, compared to $16 billion for the entire decade of the 1980s.

 A record 4.7 million people contracted HIV infections, with most new cases appearing in Asia.

 A record 6.1 billion tons of fossil fuels was consumed, in spite of international agreements to limit carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

 The world population continued to set new records, increasing by 87 million to 5.732 billion total. The population of developing nations increased by more than 80 million.

 The global climate was the warmest since systematic records began to be kept 130 years ago. The average worldwide temperature hit 59.70 degrees Fahrenheit (15.39 degrees Celsius).

Positive developments cited in the report included a 2 percent increase in average annual personal income, to about $3,500 per person worldwide. The report also noted the spread of democracy, citing several countries that held their first elections or made significant movements toward democracy. (Source: The Associated Press.)