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In detailing the social and economic costs of sex discrimination, the book argues that outmoded notions about women are a heavy burden for society. The major challenges of the years ahead, concerning population growth, the provision of basic needs, income distribution, and employment, all are problems that cannot be solved without women’s full participation. Leaders have for years ignored the justice of women’s claim to equal opportunity; it is becoming more and more difficult for them to ignore its practicality.

A new collection of articles drawn from World Watch magazine, winner of an Utne Reader Alternative Press Award for investigative reporting. A collection of the best and most-requested articles from the Worldwatch Institute's award-winning magazine, World Watch. What ails the earth and how can we fix it? People all over the world are wrestling with this question, and requesting reliable information on the nature of the environmental threats and how to deal with them. The World Watch Reader responds to this need for timely, authoritative information. Written by the world's preeminent environmental research team, this new edition of the popular anthology offers an in-depth diagnosis of the earth's ills as well as a practical vision of how to create an environmentally responsible future. In a highly readable style, the authors focus on such topics as energy and climate, the effects of water scarcity, the food prospect, oceans in distress, and consumerism and the future of the earth. Here the global, interdisciplinary perspective that makes Worldwatch research unique is available in an accessible, compelling form. All who care about the future of the planet will want to read this volume.

Looking for some concrete proposals about how to clean up the world's environmental problems? In The Natural Wealth of Nations, David Roodman argues that a critical but often overlooked source of solutions lies in the prosaic world of government subsidies and fiscal policy. If governments overhaul how they raise and spend money, they can use the market to protect the environment without hurting economic growth. For starters, why are the world's governments spending over $700 billion a year to subsidize activities that harm the environment, from logging to mining to driving? Roodman shows how cutting these wasteful subsidies can boost the economy, save tax dollars, and help the environment. But governments can do more. Hidden subsidies are only one of several reasons that consumers get misleading signals from the marketplace about the true environmental costs of their activities. Roodman proposes raising taxes on harmful activities like air pollution while cutting taxes on payrolls and profits. This tax shift would discourage pollution and encourage work and investment. The creation of tradable pollution credits is another way to use the market to include environmental costs. These proposals are not far-fetched, having already been tested in the United States and overseas. In a global survey, Roodman provides examples from Sweden to Spain to Malaysia of the growing number of countries that are successfully using these market-based approaches to clean up their environments.

The newest volume in the annual series that has become the bible of the global environmental movement--and indispensable for anyone concerned with the future of our world. State of the World 2000 provides national leaders and concerned citizens with a comprehensive framework for the global debate about our future in the new century. This annual survey by the award-winning Worldwatch Institute has become an invaluable analysis of negative environmental trends and a guide to emerging solutions. The book shows how our current fossil-fueled, auto-centered, throwaway economy is steadily destroying the very ecosystems that form the foundations of our lives. The great challenge we face in the next century is making the transition to a sustainable economy that reuses and recycles materials, is powered by renewable energy sources, and has a stable population. The authors argue that meeting this challenge will offer some of the greatest investment opportunities in history. Written in clear and concise language, with easy-to-read charts and tables, State of the World 2000 presents a view of our changing world that we, and our leaders, cannot afford to ignore.

This annual volume from the Worldwatch Institute shows in graphic form key trends that often escape the attention of the news media, world leaders, and economic experts, but should be integrated into their plans as they map out our global future. Written by the staff of the award-winning Worldwatch Institute, this book allows readers to track key indicators that show social, economic, and environmental progress, or the lack of it. These authoritative data have been distilled from thousands of documents obtained from government, industry, scientists, and international organizations into forty-five "vital signs" of our times. Vital Signs 2000 presents up-to-the-minute information on environmental and sustainable development topics such as global temperature, population growth, HIV/AIDS, fossil fuel consumption, Internet use, income inequalities, grain production, and fish catch. Each trend is presented in both text and graphics, providing a thorough, well-documented, and very accessible overview.

Written in clear and concise language, with easy-to-read charts and tables, State of the World presents a view of our changing world that we, and our leaders, cannot afford to ignore.

Since September 11, 2001, many governments have reasserted the centrality of traditional, military-focused security. Yet the aftermath of the ensuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq underlines once more that lasting security is not found in soldiers, bullets, and tanks. "Security" concerns are only in part about violent conflict, a worst-case outcome that results from a broad range of underlying vulnerabilities. Worldwatch offers a broader perspective on these issues by reaffirming the importance of other, less-publicized threats to global stability and security: the complex interactions between environmental degradation, poverty, and inequity; growing human populations; and the international proliferation of deadly weapons. Emphasizing the opportunities for creating a less vulnerable, more secure world, State of the World 2005 addresses a broad range of needed reforms, including those related to governance, economics, ethics, and education. With easy-to-read charts and tables, this volume presents a view of our changing world that we, and our leaders, cannot afford to ignore.

In State of the World 2006, the Worldwatch Institute's award-winning research team provides concerned citizens and national leaders with comprehensive analysis of the global environmental problems we face, together with detailed descriptions of practical, innovative solutions, like the increased demand for meat.

In State of the World 2007, the Worldwatch Institute's award-winning research team focuses on the urbanization of our planet to provide policymakers, strategic planners, researchers, students, and concerned citizens with comprehensive analysis of the global environmental problems we face, together with descriptions of practical, innovative solutions. This report will show what is needed to foster sustainable cities on a planet where urban areas are home to half the human population and a far larger share of natural resource use.Written in clear and concise language, with easy-to-read charts and tables, State of the World 2007 presents a view of our changing world that we, and our leaders, cannot afford to ignore.

Growing evidence suggests that the global economy, rooted in ideas and assumptions that were progressive two hundred years ago, is now destroying its own ecological base and offering little to billions of impoverished people. In response, pioneers are creating the architecture of sustainable economies, one innovation at a time. State of the World 2008 describes these innovations—from microfinance to closed-loop manufacturing and the use of trusts to protect common resources—as well as identifying the obstacles that prevent a critical mass of people and organizations from moving toward sustainability, and rallying coalitions of stakeholders that can produce win-win solutions and strategies for achieving specific sustainability goals.

This annual volume distills the "vital signs" of our times—which often escape the attention of the media, world leaders, and economic experts—from thousands of government, industrial, and scientific documents. It tracks the major indicators that show social, economic, and environmental progress, or the lack thereof.Vital Signs 2007-2008 presents the latest data on environmental and sustainable development topics, such as food and agriculture, energy and climate changes, economic trends, transportation and communications, health and social trends, conflict and peace. Each trend includes analysis to provide context and interconnections, plus charts and graphs to provide visual comparisons of the trends over time.

The evidence continues to mount: melting ice caps, rising temperatures, increasingly frequent natural disasters. As the devastating effects of global warming come into sharper focus, societies must work to both mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to ongoing and inevitable climate change. The actions taken in the coming century will be critically important in determining whether or not we can salvage our environment. We cannot shrink from the overwhelming magnitude of climate change or the radical solutions it demands. The Worldwatch Institute's State of the World 2009 investigates a wide range of potential paths to change, including new technology, policy changes, consumption, and finance, with the ultimate goal of mobilizing humanity around climate change and revealing global warming as one of the truly great challenges of our time.

For society to thrive long into the future, we must move beyond our unsustainable consumer culture to one that respects environmental realities. In State of the World 2010, the Worldwatch Institute’s award-winning research team reveals not only how human societies can make this shift but also how people around the world have already started to nurture a new culture of sustainability. Chapters present innovative solutions to global environmental problems, focusing on institutions that are the principal engineers of culture, such as governments, the media, and religious organizations. Written in clear, concise language, with easy-to-read charts and tables, State of the World presents a view of our changing world that we, and our leaders, cannot afford to ignore.

Known for tackling the most pressing issues that face our world, the Worldwatch Institute has dedicated the 2011 edition of its flagship report to a compelling look at the global food crisis, with particular emphasis on what innovators globally can do to help solve a worldwide problem. State of the World 2011 not only introduces us to the latest agro-ecological innovations and their global applicability but also gives broader insights into issues including poverty, international politics, and even gender equity.Written in clear, concise language, with easy-to-read charts and tables, State of the World 2011, produced with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, provides a practical vision of the innovations that will allow billions of people to feed themselves, while restoring rural economies, creating livelihoods, and sustaining the natural resource base on which agriculture depends.

'VITAL SIGNS does for the environment what stock market indicators do for the City. But it says more about the future of our world than the FTSE ever can ' BBC Wildlife Magazine'VITAL SIGNS is a sharply focused snapshot of the world� Ideal for dipping into � it makes fascinating reading ' New Agriculturalist'The scope of the book is vast ... the presentation is clean and seamless ' Humanitarian Affairs Review'An enlightening insight into the relationship between the environment and human activity ' Green FuturesVITAL SIGNS 2005�2006 provides up-to-the-minute information on global warming, population growth, military spending, HIV/AIDS, economic equity, the trade in drugs and a whole range of other environmental, developmental, social, political and economic issues. By distilling 25 'vital signs' of our times from thousands of governmental, industrial and scientific sources, this book allows reader s to track key indicators that show our progress in issues that too often escape the attention of the news media, world leader s and economic experts . Each theme is presented in both text and two colour graphics, providing a thorough, well-documented and very accessible over view.

Every day, we are presented with a range of "sustainable" products and activities-from "green" cleaning supplies to carbon offsets - but with so much labelled as "sustainable," the term has become essentially sustainable, at best indicating a practice or product slightly less damaging than the conventional alternative. Is it time to abandon the concept altogether, or can we find an accurate way to measure sustainability? If so, how can we achieve it? And if not, how can we best prepare for the coming ecological decline? In the latest edition of "Worldwatch Institute's State of the World" series, scientists, policy experts, and thought leaders tackle these questions, attempting to restore meaning to sustainability as more than just a marketing tool. In "State of the World 2013: Is Sustainability Still Possible?", experts define clear sustainability metrics and examine various policies and perspectives, including geo-engineering, corporate transformation, and changes in agricultural policy, that could put us on the path to prosperity without diminishing the well-being of future generations.If these approaches fall short, the final chapters explore ways to prepare for drastic environmental change and resource depletion, such as strengthening democracy and societal resilience, protecting cultural heritage, and dealing with increased conflict and migration flows. "State of the World 2013" cuts through the rhetoric surrounding sustainability, offering a broad and realistic look at how close we are to fulfilling it today and which practices and policies will steer us in the right direction.

This is the most up-to-date information on a diverse range of global trends. Vital Signs Volume 21 is all about growth. From natural disasters to cars to organic farming, the two dozen trends examined here indicate both increasing pressure on natural resources and scaled up efforts to live more sustainably. In 2012, world car production set yet another record with passenger-car production rising to 66.7 million. That same year, the number of natural disasters climbed to 905, roughly one hundred more than the 10-year annual average, and 90 percent were weather related. Alongside these mounting pressures come investments in renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. The number of acres of land farmed organically has tripled since 1999, though it still makes up less than 1 per cent of total farmland. Not all the statistics are going up. Key measures of development aid have fallen, as have global commodity prices. Yet the overall trend is expansion, both for the good and ill of the planet. Vital Signs provides the latest data available, but its value goes beyond simple numbers.Through insightful analysis of global trends, it offers a starting point for those seeking solutions to the future's intensifying challenges.

Citizens expect their governments to lead on sustainability. But from largely disappointing international conferences like Rio II to the U.S.’s failure to pass meaningful climate legislation, governments’ progress has been lackluster. That’s not to say leadership is absent; it just often comes from the bottom up rather than the top down. Action—on climate, species loss, inequity, and other sustainability crises—is being driven by local, people’s, women’s, and grassroots movements around the world, often in opposition to the agendas pursued by governments and big corporations.These diverse efforts are the subject of the latest volume in the Worldwatch Institute’s highly regarded State of the World series. The 2014 edition, marking the Institute’s 40th anniversary, examines both barriers to responsible political and economic governance as well as gridlock-shattering new ideas. The authors analyze a variety of trends and proposals, including regional and local climate initiatives, the rise of benefit corporations and worker-owned firms, the need for energy democracy, the Internet’s impact on sustainability, and the importance of eco-literacy. A consistent thread throughout the book is that informed and engaged citizens are key to better governance.The book is a clear-eyed yet ultimately optimistic assessment of citizens’ ability to govern for sustainability. By highlighting both obstacles and opportunities, State of the World 2014 shows how to effect change within and beyond the halls of government. This volume will be especially useful for policymakers, environmental nonprofits, students of environmental studies, sustainability, or economics—and citizens looking to jumpstart significant change around the world.

This is the newest edition of The Worldwatch Institute's respected State of the World series that highlights the ignored threats to sustainability. We think we understand environmental damage: pollution, water scarcity, a warming world. But these problems are just the tip of the iceberg. Food insecurity, financial assets drained of value by environmental damage, and a rapid rise in diseases of animal origin are among the underreported consequences of an unsustainable global system. In State of the World 2015, the flagship publication of The Worldwatch Institute, experts explore hidden threats to sustainability and how to address them. Eight key issues are addressed in depth, along with the central question of how we can develop resilience to these and other shocks. With the latest edition of State of The World, the authorities at Worldwatch bring to light challenges we can no longer afford to ignore.

What we make and buy is a major indicator of society's collective priorities. Among twenty-four key trends, Vital Signs Volume 22 explores significant global patterns in production and consumption. The result is a fascinating snapshot of how we invest our resources and the implications for the world's well-being. The book examines developments in six main areas: energy, environment and climate, transportation, food and agriculture, global economy and resources, and population and society. Readers will learn how aquaculture is making gains on wild fish catches, where high speed rail is accelerating, why plastic production is on the rise, who is escaping chronic hunger, and who is still suffering. Researchers at the Worldwatch Institute not only provide the most up-to-date statistics, but put them in context. The analysis in Vital Signs teaches us both about our current priorities and how they could be shaped to create a better future.

Cities are the world's future. Today, more than half of the global population, 3.7 billion people, are urban dwellers, and that number is expected to double by 2050. There is no question that cities are growing; the only debate is-over how they will grow. Will we invest in the physical and social infrastructure necessary for Iiveable, equitable, and-sustainable cities? In the latest edition of State of the World, the flagship publication of the Worldwatch Institute, experts from around the globe examine the core principles of sustainable urbanism and profile cities that are putting them into practice. State of the World first puts our current moment in context, tracing cities in the arc of human history. It also examines the basic structural elements of every city: materials and fuels; people and economics; and biodiversity. In part two, professionals working on some of the world's most inventive urban sustainability projects share their first-hand experience. Success stories come from places as diverse as Ahmedabad, India; Freiburg, Germany; and Shanghai, China. In many cases, local people are acting to improve their cities, even when national efforts are stalled.Parts three and four examine cross-cutting issues that affect the success of all cities. Topics range from the nitty-gritty of handling waste and developing public transportation to civic participation and navigating dysfunctional government. Throughout, readers discover the most pressing challenges facing communities and the most promising solutions currently being developed. The result is a snapshot of cities today and a vision for global urban sustainability tomorrow.