One of five of the world’s population lives in poverty. This figure represents 1.2 billion people who will not see their economic potential materialize in a globalize world of enhanced economic growth. We have 2.8 billion people living on less than $2 per day and 1 billion children living in poverty. As the Secretary General of the UN report to the Millennium Assembly, “The central challenge we face today is to ensure that globalization becomes a positive force for all the world’s people, instead of leaving billions of them behind in squalor.” A United Kingdom report states that the growing interdependence and interconnectedness of the world is creating a single global economy. The report expresses concern over the damaging effects globalization has on the environment and links poverty with this environmental decline.  As the environment degrades, the natural resources on which the rural poor, who are the most vulnerable, depend for their livelihoods are put at risk. As the energy crisis  becomes increasingly evident, so does the integrated approach required to address the interdependent issues of water, energy, biodiversity, and economic growth.  Economic development can provide countries with access to technologies to  combat environmental degradation. It is my opinion that the 'axis of evil' is not comprised of countries, but of the environment and the humanitarian abuses occurring in these areas.. The 'axis of evil' represents poverty, environmental degradation and lack of educational opportunities. Our science community of Agroclimatology should be a cry in this “quiet crisis”.