Thomas E. Downing – författare

Although it is now widely recognized throughout societies around the world that humankind is straining the capacity of our planet, the responses of the many parties who need to come together to solve the myriad challenges have in general been sectoral in their approach. Yet the dangers presented by drawing successively on Earth's natural resources and exacerbating drought, water scarcity, hunger, health - indeed the viability of whol ecommunities and countries - coupled with the economic and social aspirations of the developed and developing world, clearly call for holistic vision leading to coordinated action.In this book, eight highly experienced authors from acaemia, intergovernmental negotiation, and diplomacy each present their own perspective and assess prospects for progress. the necessity for interdisciplinarity of approach, and for partnership and altruism on an unprecedented scale for solution, and for new negotiation and arbitration frameworks, emerge as inevitalbe conclusions.

In the last half decade since sustainable development became a serious objective, what have we achieved? Are livelihoods more secure? Are nations wealthier and more resilient? Is environmental quality being restored or maintained? These are essential questions of development. Their answers are many, varied between communities and regions, even between individuals. Two years ago, in the aftermath of the Earth Summit and ratification of the Framework Convention on Climate Change, but before the first Conference of Parties, I participated in a panel at the inaugural Oxford Environment Conference on Climate Change and World Food Security. The panel vigorously reviewed issues of resilient development and food security. This book is a product of the Oxford Environment Conference. It takes the essential questions of sustainability as a starting point to focus on present food security and its future prospects in the face of climate change. Why is this book important? First, I believe our goals to end hunger are under threat. We know what to do in many respects, but fail to generate the finances and political will to change the structures that thrive on poverty. Second, I believe concern about the environment has become dangerously separated from the fundamental issues of human deprivation. Third, I believe climate change is a serious threat and I am dismayed at the way nations dither over how to control greenhouse gas emissions and mechanisms to meet the challenge of adverse climate impacts.