State of the World 2015: Confronting Hidden Threats to Sustainability

by The Worldwatch Institute

We think we understand environmental 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. How will nations deal with migration as climate change refugees cross borders in order to escape flooding, drought, or other extreme weather events? What will happen to the price and availability of fossil energy—the foundation of industrial civilization--as these resources oscillate between surplus and scarcity? If perpetual economic growth on a finite planet is impossible, what are the alternatives? Can national governments manage the transition? Eight key issues are addressed in depth, along with the central question of how we can develop resilience to these and other shocks.For decades, The Worldwatch Institute has been a leader in identifying and analyzing emerging environmental threats. With the latest edition of State of The World, the authorities at Worldwatch bring to light challenges we can no longer afford to ignore.

Genres: Sustainability, Environment

249 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 13, 2015

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful look into the complexities that underlie our society's most basic functions. Although short and therefore necessarily superficial, the book offers a very good introduction on many issues relevant now and tomorrow. I especially enjoyed the parts concerning growing economies, diseases and the Arctic.

[Betty Bii · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative. Good explanations though some the writing in some essays are quite repetitive.

[Rhys · Rating 4 out of 5]

A welcome return to sustainability as it relates to escalating and emerging environmental issues.

Good essay on growth, and the concept of 'stranded assets' in a low-carbon future.

Best of all was a call for more anarchistic participatory and deliberative democracy to promote a more resilient future:

"If we want more than that – something worthy of the label “democracy,” something other than a “sound-bite democracy of manipulation and electoral advantage” (in Fishkin’s damning phrase) – we must look to the practices of participatory and deliberative democracy. … A thriving culture of local democracies – perhaps aggregated into regional and even national assemblies in a way that retains a deliberative and participatory character – would be a good thing even if the future turns out to be less energy-poor than seems likely. But especially if the future is one of relative energy poverty, communities wishing to control both their environmental and political fates would do well to establish grassroots democratic structures now, so that they are deeply rooted enough to withstand the winds of change during the turbulent transition to a low-energy future" (p.138).

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great collection of essays written by highly knowledgeable workers in the various fields relating to sustainability. For me, the essay on our reliance on oceans was particularly interesting- especially when framed against Melville and his whale.

Overall, the essays present a somewhat bleak future for us and the book even goes so far as to include a polar bear and his melting environment. I think all of the problems presented are valid and deserve our attention. Hopefully the right people will read this book and respond to its ideas.

[Mills College Library]

362.71 S797 2015