Shopping Cart
RSS FeedWe Need a New Kind of Revolution, Says Gorbachev
by Worldwatch Institute on February 20, 2001
|
|
|
The March/April issue of WORLD WATCH brings together three of the world's best-known fighters for an environmentally sustainable planet. In addition to special editorials by Nobel Prize Winner Mikhail Gorbachev and The Population Explosion authors, Anne and Paul Ehrlich, three feature articles explore "the trouble with global health standards", "the danger of disrupted nitrogen cycles" and "whether it is possible to have too much choice". MIKHAIL GORBACHEV : CALLING FOR A GREEN REVOLUTION Rapid, sweeping change-like that which propelled the fall of the Iron Curtain-is the only way that the earth and its people can leave the current path of rapid environmental destruction, says former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in an editorial written for the March/April issue of WORLD WATCH. A little more than a decade ago, the Cold War threatened world security, freedom and development. But the right mixture of human vision and courageous leadership brought unthought-of-change, Gorbachev writes. In a similar way, clear and unified vision determination and decisive leadership is imperative to stop the environmental degradation that presently causes unnecessary suffering for hundreds of millions of people. "The end of the Cold War offers an example of people-powered change that positively altered the course of history," says the Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of Green Cross International. "We need a similar shift-a fundamental shift in values-to ensure that we do not miss this window of opportunity to save our beautiful planet and ourselves." (Full article available for free if you register) TIGHTENING THE BELT ON AMERICA Responsible for more environmental devastation than any other nation and with a population that has grown by 13 percent since 1990, the United States needs to set an example for other countries and initiate a national dialogue on curbing runaway consumption, say population experts, Paul and Anne Ehrlich in "The United States: Another Leap Backwards". The authors of The Population Explosion say that the world's biggest economy-which consumes one quarter of the world's energy-now faces an extra hurdle in curbing its extravagant ways because the new administration is "committed to expanding corporate rights to abuse the environment". "The president leading us into the 21st century has doubts about global warming, doesn't believe in evolution, is unfamiliar with most of the world and is appointing foxes as hen house guards," the authors said. "Voters and NGOs must oppose federal actions that undermine environmental security or provide further short-term benefits to the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor and weak." (Full article available for free if you register) THE TROUBLE WITH GLOBAL HEALTH STANDARDS In "Homogenized Planet," E. Koohan Paik visits artisan cheesemakers in various countries to investigate how enforcement of national and global safety or health standards is driving small cheese manufacturers out of business and disrupting the stability of local economies. (Full article) THE DANGER OF DISRUPTED NITROGEN Danielle Nierenberg reports on how human activity during the past half-century has profoundly altered the nitrogen cycle, leading to Toxic algal blooms, increased tree death and the loss of rare species. Nierenberg states that interference with the nitrogen cycle may be as consequential as the disruption of the carbon cycle, which is held responsible for global warming. (Full article) IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE TOO MUCH CHOICE? The ever-increasing choices available to consumers lead to a range of excesses that diminish, rather than heighten, the quality of life, Gary Gardner suggests in a provocative essay. He says that equating the amount of "choice" people have with the level of "development" they enjoy is fallacious. (Full article available for free if you register) In Matters of Scale, WORLD WATCH observes the American way of choice. RELATED INFORMATION: FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Ed Ayres, Editor, edayres@worldwatch.org. Leanne Mitchell, Public Relations Specialist, lmitchell@worldwatch.org.
Worldwatch Institute |
