Toward a Stewardship of the Global Commons: Engaging 'My Neighbor' in the Issue of Sustainability

Abstract

"The Earth Sciences, broadly defined, will provide important understandings for society in the 21st Century. As the global human population approaches and perhaps exceeds 9 billion people, interactions among the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere will define significant boundary conditions for the future sustainability of the human enterprise and the survival of these Global Commons.

"This series of essays will provide pathways to bring the issue of sustainability into the public domain. Engage your students or neighbors in dialogs about the ideas that will influence the quality of their lives and those of their children or grandchildren in the coming decades."