Plan B: Rethinking the future

Lester Brown, environmental thinker, visionary, author and activist spoke to the Scientific Committee and staff of the EEA recently. The subject was his latest book entitled, 'Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble'.

Brown states his view of the human dilemma quite clearly: "Our global civilization today is on an economic path that is environmentally unsustainable, a path that is leading us toward economic decline and possible collapse."

"We have the technologies needed to build the new economy. We can see how to build the new economy brick by brick. With each wind farm, rooftop solar panel, and reforestation program, we move closer to an economy that can sustain economic progress," he says.

Described by the Washington Post as 'one of the world's most influential thinkers', Brown started his career as a farmer, growing tomatoes in southern New Jersey with his younger brother during high school and college. Now, established as one of the world's most widely published authors he is founder and president of the Earth Policy Institute, a US-based independent environmental research organization.