WorldWatch Institute

March 19, 2015

A monthly update on our latest publications, events, and research on environmental, food, energy, and sustainable development topics. In this Newsletter   State of the World 2015: Confronting Hidden Threats to Sustainability People, Planet, Profit: The Rise of Triple-Bottom-Line Businesses Food Trade and Self-Sufficiency Financing Climate-Conscious Investments in Latin America, Post-Lima The Urgent Need to Shift to Utility 2 Seed Activists Bring Biodiversity to the City Worldwatch in the News   Sale   State of the World 2014:Governing for Sustainability is 65% offuntil March 27. Just enter promo code OPTIMISTICon our publisher's website: Get a copy today! Upcoming Events   State of the World 2015 Symposium: Monday, April 13, 20151-5 pm More details and RSVP Tweet of the Month   State of the World 2015@Worldwatch symposium event and livestream. April 13 at 1 PM EDT. RSVP atbit.ly/SOWRSVP #HiddenThreats2015  Follow Us        Quick Links Worldwatch Website Vital Signs Online Worldwatch Blog

Dear Stan, Humanity is slowly coming to grips with the growing reality of a destabilized climate. Even as scientists and others shed light on the likely repercussions, such as sea-level rise, droughts, and superstorms, many challenges remain undetected or underappreciated. The world now needs to adopt solutions that fundamentally change systems of production and consumption---solutions that can adapt to the still-hidden threats to sustainability. Our upcoming release of State of the World 2015: Confronting Hidden Threats to Sustainabilitypresents these overlooked threats and discusses ways that society could avoid, mitigate, or prepare for them. To learn more, RSVP for the State of the World 2015launch event and symposium on Monday, April 13 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. We would love for you to attend ourevent in Washington, D.C. or watch from home or the office through our live stream. As always, please don't hesitate to email me atggourmelon@worldwatch.org with any questions or comments. All the best, Gaelle Gourmelon Worldwatch Institute ggourmelon@worldwatch.org www.worldwatch.org Make a donation today! State of the World Update State of the World 2015: Confronting Hidden 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. Deeper issues include food insecurity, financial assets drained of value by environmental damage, and a rapid rise in diseases of animal origin. In Worldwatch's State of the World 2015, experts explore eight "hidden threats to sustainability" in depth, along with the central question of how we can develop resilience to these and other shocks. RSVP for the launch symposium in Washington, D.C. or for the online live stream. >> Read more  People, Planet, Profit: The Rise of Triple-Bottom-Line Businesses Entrepreneurs are beginning to challenge business as usual, infusing ethics into the notoriously ruthless corporate world. In State of the World 2014, contributing author Colleen Cordes discusses the small, but growing, impact of benefit corporations and other triple-bottom-line companies---which strive to have positive social and environmental impacts, as well as to earn a profit---in the transition to a sustainable economy. >> Read more Vital Signs Online Update Food Trade and Self-Sufficiency As society reaches the limits of available farmland and accessible irrigation water, many countries have turned to international markets to help meet domestic food demand. Imports of grain worldwide increased more than fivefold between 1960 and 2013. However, importing food as a response to resource scarcity creates dependence on global markets. An import strategy may be unavoidable for some nations, but it should be considered only reluctantly by countries that can meet their food needs in more conventional ways. >> Read more Blog Update Financing Climate-Conscious Investments in Latin America, Post-Lima Creating sustainability-focused finance and investment networks for businesses in developing countries is an essential part of establishing a global agreement on emissions reductions---the objective of the upcoming Paris climate talks. In Latin America, initiatives are taking shape to make environmentally conscientious investment and microfinance opportunities more appealing and cost-efficient targets for investment capital. >> Read more The Urgent Need to Shift to "Utility 2.0" As the world tries to strike a balance between prosperity and sustainability, utilities find themselves at the eye of the storm in many of these debates. The ability to continue catering to the needs of burgeoning urban populations while keeping sustainability goals in sight will depend to a large extent on how utilities evolve. >> Read more Worldwatch Europe Update Seed Activists Bring Biodiversity to the City The art of saving and exchanging seeds---especially useful for adapting to climate change and encouraging plant diversity in the face of expanding industrial agriculture---may prove to be invaluable in terms of adaptation and resilience. Growing a range of varieties from exchanged seeds, especially in an urban context, may play a significant role in maintaining urban biodiversity. >> Read more Worldwatch in the News Our Vital Sign on global food trade was cited byThomson Reuters, the United Arab Emirates' Gulf News, India's Economic Times, and Slovenia's Teraz, among others. EnvironmentGuru, Canada's Globe-Net, and Brazil's Expresso MT referred to our State of the World publications.

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