The Rio+20 conference has been seen by many as largely a failure, given a tepid official statement that avoided any meaningful new action on behalf of sustainable development. Some observers, however, argue that this is the wrong focus. In the aftermath of Rio, Jacob Scherr of the Natural Resources Defense Council wrote that “the international community does […]
“Living Planet Report” Describes a World Under Pressure
Government officials, scientists, activists, and others who participated in the Rio+20 conference last month, strived to reorient international policies so that they are less damaging to Earth’s climate, environment, and populations. In an effort to guide discussions in advance of the conference and initiatives afterward, the global conservation group WWF has released the latest edition […]
Societal Transformation: How Radical Does It Need to Be?
It’s well known that Americans consume more resources on a per capita basis than citizens of other developed countries. In fact, research shows that if people in all nations used as many resources as the average American, we would need five Earths to meet this global resource demand. Human consumption of material goods has increased dramatically over […]