A Transition to Sustainability? Development and Environment in a Changing World.

Earth is undergoing rapid changes, in population growth, urbanization, industrial growth, the consumption of natural resources, and also in global and regional environment. How can we meet the needs of the 9 billion people while at the same time sustaining the ecosystems, air, water and climate systems that we rely on for our well-being and survival?  Professor Matson will discuss some of the critical challenges at the nexus of food, energy, water and global environmental change, and drawing from her research, the role that use-inspired research can play in both improving understanding and helping to inform sustainable land management decisions. She will also discuss how academic institutions can mobilize their faculty and student resources to help in the transition.