focusing on solutions with research, education, practice and policy change
Conceptual Framework Human overpopulation and the way we use our land, energy, food and water is causing climate change, ecosystem degradation, and species and biodiversity losses. Public health is affected by these consequences at the individual, community and global levels. 
Our ability to develop policy responses to these issues will be complicated by three additional challenges: "After Peak Oil," debt as an obstacle to new investment and obstacles to policy change. After Peak Oil—that the world will soon pass the peak of petroleum production with steady declines thereafter (see books on this topic) will make transitioning to more sustainable energy sources considerably more difficult, yet more urgent. In addition, sustainable responses to climate change and peak petroleum will require large investments in research and development, building new infrastructures, and community re-design at a time when debt is an obstacle to new investment. U.S. federal indebtedness is at an all-time high (see "Saving Our Future Requires Tough Choices Today"). Many analysts have argued that changes on the required scale will not occur until the U.S. government makes the necessary investments. Finally, obstacles to policy change include the short-term horizon of many elected officials, the influence of money in our political system, the recent decreasing role of science in policy making and the fact that many of the required changes will be unpopular with the electorate. Home What the Future Must Look Like Projects Contact Us up to top | 
