Location

Room 108

Start Date

2-7-2012 1:30 PM

End Date

2-7-2012 2:50 PM

Description

This paper would be based on my forthcoming book, Acting as if Tomorrow Matters: Accelerating the Transition to Sustainability (Environmental Law Institute/Island Press May 2012). Synthesizing answers from more than three dozen nationally known experts to questions about sustainability, the book provides a useful, empirically based framework to explain the progress made in the United States to date on sustainability—and the most significant obstacles standing in the way of greater success. Building on this framework, the book explains in detail how to make a variety of decisions even more attractive to private and government entities, how law can provide an even better environment for sustainability, and how public opinion and leadership can be engaged more effectively to support sustainability. The book thus provides a checklist of ideas and opportunities for moving toward sustainable development—starting now. Although the book focuses on the United States, the conclusions it reaches are likely to be useful for any country. While I am finalizing the book right now, the presentation would highlight many of the book’s key conclusions.

As you may know, I direct a project through the Environmental Law Institute that reviews progress toward sustainability in the United States and makes recommendations for future actions. The two prior books from this project are: Agenda for a Sustainable America (John C. Dernbach ed. 2009) and Stumbling Toward Sustainability (John C. Dernbach ed. 2002).

JohnDernbach070212.pdf (2215 kB)
Presentation

Share

COinS
 
Jul 2nd, 1:30 PM Jul 2nd, 2:50 PM

Acting as if Tomorrow Matters: Accelerating the Transition to Sustainability

Room 108

This paper would be based on my forthcoming book, Acting as if Tomorrow Matters: Accelerating the Transition to Sustainability (Environmental Law Institute/Island Press May 2012). Synthesizing answers from more than three dozen nationally known experts to questions about sustainability, the book provides a useful, empirically based framework to explain the progress made in the United States to date on sustainability—and the most significant obstacles standing in the way of greater success. Building on this framework, the book explains in detail how to make a variety of decisions even more attractive to private and government entities, how law can provide an even better environment for sustainability, and how public opinion and leadership can be engaged more effectively to support sustainability. The book thus provides a checklist of ideas and opportunities for moving toward sustainable development—starting now. Although the book focuses on the United States, the conclusions it reaches are likely to be useful for any country. While I am finalizing the book right now, the presentation would highlight many of the book’s key conclusions.

As you may know, I direct a project through the Environmental Law Institute that reviews progress toward sustainability in the United States and makes recommendations for future actions. The two prior books from this project are: Agenda for a Sustainable America (John C. Dernbach ed. 2009) and Stumbling Toward Sustainability (John C. Dernbach ed. 2002).