Earth Equity News

Paul Ehrlich Announces New Initiative: Seeking 'Rapid Change' in Human Behavior. By Douglas Fischer, Daily Planet, September 5, 2009. "Frustrated and disappointed by society's inability to tackle pressing environmental dilemmas, Stanford ecologist Paul Ehrlich on Friday announced a new endeavor aimed at rapidly turning human behavior toward a more sustainable future. Called the Millennium Assessment of Human Behavior, or MAHB (pronounced 'mob'), the venture seeks to link a broad array of seemingly unrelated human activities that endanger humanity's future -- from racism to climate change, loss of biological diversity, water shortages, declining food security, economic justice and pollution. The hope, Ehrlich said, is that by making these larger connections, more effective solutions can be found... The problem, Ehrlich said, is clearly not a need for more natural science. Rather, it is the need for a better understanding of 'human behaviors and how they can be altered to direct humanity toward a sustainable society before it is too late.' Organizers envision the MAHB as a global conference, involving scholars, politicians and a diverse spectrum of stakeholders - from media and industry to religious communities and foundations. Organizers also hope to encourage a 'global discussion' about human goals and to explore ways to steer cultural change toward creation of a more sustainable society."