Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet - Softcover

Sachs, Jeffrey

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0141026154 ISBN 13: 9780141026152

Publisher: Penguin, 2009

Synopsis

This is a book about how we should address the great, and interconnected, global challenges of the twenty-first century. Our task, Sachs argues, is to achieve truly sustainable development, by which he means finding a global course which enables the world to benefit from the spread of prosperity while ensuring that we don't destroy the eco-systems which keep us alive and our place in nature which helps sustain our values. How do we move forward together, benefitting from our increasing technological mastery, avoiding the terrible dangers of climate change, mass famines, violent conflicts, population explosions in some parts of the world and collapses in others, and world-wide pandemic diseases?In answering these questions, Sachs shows that there are different ways of managing the world's technology, resources and politics from those currently being followed, and that it should be possible to adopt policies which reflect long-term and co-operative thinking instead of, as currently, disregard for others and ever-increasing barriers to solving the problems which we collectively face. It is a book which appeals equally to both head and heart, and one which no globally thinking person can ignore.

About this title

Review

'This is an impressive exercise in presenting complex subject matter in plain English, and relating the practicalities of life- subsistence agriculture and water management, for example - to the biggest ideas of modern science' - Martin Vander Weyer, The Daily Telegraph 'His new book ! bursts with ideas and is suffused with what can only be described as irrepressible optimism' - Ed Pilkington, The Guardian

From the Back Cover

'Essential reading ... could easily end up serving as the manifesto for global affairs' Allister Heath, Literary Review6.6 billion people and rising ...

We live on a crowded planet. Humans fill every part of the Earth, and now more and more of us are scrambling for ever-scarcer energy and resources. How can we make sure there's enough to go round?

Jeffrey Sachs is one of the world's leading thinkers and activists in economic development. In this inspiring new book he sets out a realistic, practical plan for solving the most severe crises our world faces - population growth, climate change, extreme poverty - in a way that will ultimately benefit all of us. By harnessing new technology and a new ethic of global co-operation, he shows, we can find common ground in our crowded world, leaving a healthy, healed planet for future generations. It is a book which appeals equally to the head and the heart.

'Common Wealth is a plan for saving the planet' Alan Beattie, Financial Times

'Timely and significant ... written with admirable clarity' Martin Vander Weyer, Daily Telegraph

'With powerful illustrations and moving words, he describes what humanity must do if we are to share a common future on this planet' Kofi Annan

'This is Bigthink with a capital B' Daniel Gross, International Herald Tribune

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0141026154
• ISBN 13: 9780141026152
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 416