“There is nothing we can do” – Meadows | Damn the Matrix FORMAT interviews Dennis Meadows, author of “The Limits to Growth”, about the shocking position of the planet. 40 years ago, Dennis Meadows presented the best seller “The Limits to Growth”. In it, he predicted, not the exact date of the apocalypse, but the U.S. researchers showed by means of computational models, that by mid-century, the resources of planet Earth will be depleted. The book sold 30 million copies and Meadows is now regarded as the most famous “Sunset prophet” of the world. FORMAT’s writer Rainer Himmelfreundpointner met Meadows on a visit to Vienna for an exclusive interview. The message of the nearly 70-year-old is now no more optimistic as then, and is not for the faint of heart. FORMAT: Mr. Meadows: What we meant in 1972 in “The Limits to Growth”, and what is still true, is that there is simply no endless physical growth on a finite planet. Meadows: You cannot compare our current situation that way. FORMAT: cancer as a metaphor for uncontrolled growth? Meadows: Yeah.
Limits to growth Retort: The 147 Companies That Run The World? They're You. Fascinating post by colleague Bruce Upbin on the dominant ownership position of the “147 companies that control everything.” But I think there is basic flaw in the thinking of the underlying study, which as Bruce notes comes from three systems theorists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, and which was picked up by the magazine New Scientist. So, here’s the issue. Most of the companies on the top 50 list are simply investment companies – they aren’t operating companies. Consider a few tidbits: According to the Investment Company Institute, a trade group for the mutual funds industry, as of the end of August, mutual funds held $11.6 trillion in assets. And wait, a few more stats: 51.6 million U.S. households own mutual funds; they are held by 90.2 million individuals. 44% of U.S. households are fund investors.
These 6 Corporations Control 90% Of The Media In America Jeremy Rifkin | The Foundation on Economic Trends Jeremy Rifkin and The Third Industrial Revolution Home Page Jeremy Rifkin Jeremy Rifkin (born January 26, 1945) is an economic and social theorist, writer, public speaker, political advisor and activist. Rifkin is president of the Foundation on Economic Trends and the bestselling author of nineteen books on the impact of scientific and technological changes on the economy, the workforce, society, and the environment. His books have been translated into more than thirty five languages and are used in hundreds of universities, corporations and government agencies around the world. Rifkin is the President of the TIR Consulting Group LLC which advises national governments, regions, and municipalities on developing Third Industrial Revolution Master Plans. Since 1994, Rifkin has been a senior lecturer at the Wharton School's Executive Education Program at the University of Pennsylvania, where he instructs CEOs and senior management on transitioning their business operations into sustainable Third Industrial Revolution economies. Biography[edit] 1970s[edit]
Dennis Meadows Dennis L. Meadows (born June 7, 1942) is an American scientist and Emeritus Professor of Systems Management, and former director of the Institute for Policy and Social Science Research at the University of New Hampshire.[1] He is President of the Laboratory for Interactive Learning and widely known as the co-author of The Limits to Growth. Biography[edit] Dennis Meadows received a BA from Carleton College, a Ph.D. in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management, and holds four honorary doctorates. He started working at the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the late 1960s. He has been the Director of three university research institutes: at MIT, Dartmouth College and the University of New Hampshire. He has been a corporate board member and a consultant for government, industry and non-profit groups in the U.S. and many countries abroad. He has received numerous international awards for his work, including the Japan Prize in April 2009.[3] Work[edit] See also[edit]
Statistics and Monitoring - Millennium Development Goals (MDG) monitoring Overview In September 2000, 189 countries signed the United Nations Millennium Declaration [A/RES/55/2], committing themselves to eradicating extreme poverty in all its forms by 2015. To help track progress toward these commitments, a set of time-bound and quantified goals and targets, called the Millennium Development Goals, were developed for combating poverty in its many dimensions - including reducing income poverty, hunger, disease, environmental degradation and gender discrimination. About the Millennium Development Goals The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) include 8 goals, 21 targets and 60 indicators for measuring progress between 1990 and 2015, when the goals are expected to be met. Key documents and links related to the MDGs may be found at the UN Statistics Division - Millennium Development Goals Indicators website. Please note that the current official MDG framework supersedes the previous version, which had been effective since 2003.
Millennium development goals – the key datasets you need to know | Global development The UK is hosting the first high-level panel this week on what comes after the millennium development goals (MDGs). Progress on the MDGs has been mixed, however, with persistent inequalities both within and between countries. We've pulled together the key data on the eight goals. Although the MDG framework may seem overly technical, with its dozens of time-bound, results-based targets and indicators, it's the product of very political negotiations, with some issues receiving more attention and prominence than others. Goal 1) Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Estimates suggest the MDG target to halve the proportion of people living in "extreme poverty" was met in 2010, five years ahead of the 2015 deadline. The UN has released dramatically revised estimates of global hunger, suggesting the MDG target is "within reach" – despite growing anxiety over high and volatile food prices. Goal 2) Achieve universal primary education Goal 3) Promote gender equality and empower women Data summary
Третья промышленная революция – солнце с ветром, водород, 3D-принтеры Экспертное сообщество всё отчетливее осознаёт, что дальнейшее развитие цивилизации по исторически сложившемуся пути невозможно, так как ныне появились новые глобальные проблемы, угрожающие существованию этой цивилизации. Впервые в истории человечества сдвинулись со стационарных уровней важнейшие показатели состояния биосферы. К таким показателям можно отнести: резкое ухудшение качества воздуха и воды; глобальное потепление; истощение озонового слоя; уменьшение биоразнообразия; достижение предела пищевых, сырьевых и энергетических возможностей биосферы; утрату нравственных ориентиров значительной частью человеческого сообщества (так называемый «феномен аморального большинства»). Памятник нашему поколению будет выглядеть, видимо, так: посреди огромного шламового отвала стоит величественная бронзовая фигура в противогазе, а внизу на гранитном постаменте надпись: «Мы победили природу!». 1) Переход на возобновляемые источники энергии (солнце, ветер, водные потоки, геотермальные источники).
The TrendWatch Internet trends: marketing research & predictions We are happy to announce the release of a new TrendsSpotting research report uncovering major trends in Mobile Accessories. Based on exploration of over 2000 new accessories released since 2011 + CES 2012 and a market analysis of major market trends characterizing this growing market, TrendsSpotting has identified about 150 recently released products that reflect new emerging trends in mobile accessories. The innovations analyzed in this report are profiled according to Product Categories (Protection, Power, Entertainment, Smart Solutions), User Experience Categories, Marketing and Consumer Trends. Major findings: 1. The report “Trends and Innovations in Mobile Accessories” can assist mobile companies in their search for emerging trends, competitive advantages, market opportunities, inspirations for new product development, partnerships, design requirements, and can provide updated comprehensive market knowledge. Market Trends Review - solutions and major players Tweet This Post Delicious