National Academy of Sciences, Ruth S. DeFries, Cheryl Simon Silver One Earth, One Future

Annotation

Written for nonscientists, One Earth, One Future can help individuals understand the basic science behind changes in the global environment and the resulting policy implications that the population of the entire planet must face.The volume describes the earth as a unified system--exploring the interactions between the atmosphere, land, and water and the snowballing impact that human activity is having on the system--and presents perspectives on policies and programs that can both develop and protect our natural resources.One Earth, One Future discusses why such seemingly diverse issues as historical climate change, species diversity, and sea-level rise are part of a single picture--and how human activity is the critical element in that picture.The book concludes with practical examinations of economic, security, and development questions, with a view toward achieving improvements in quality of life without further environmental degradation.One Earth, One Future is must reading for anyone interested in the interrelationship of environmental matters and public policy issues.