Forging the path to 2050

By 2050, the global population is projected to reach 9 billion (UN 2008).

The Earth’s carrying capacity will be severely strained if we continue our current patterns of inefficient and environmentally damaging agricultural practices, wasteful food distribution and consumption, dependence on non-renewable energy sources, and unchecked use of petrochemicals.

To be sure, we live in a time of daunting challenges – global challenges that threaten not only human well-being and quality of life, but possibly our very existence. We have identified four challenges – food, health, energy and chemicals – that are especially critical and that we feel we are uniquely positioned to help address.