What ails the earth and how can we fix it? People all over the world are wrestling with this question, and requesting reliable information on the nature of the environmental threats and how to deal with them. The World Watch Reader responds to this need for timely, authoritative information. Written by the world's preeminent environmental research team, this new edition of the popular anthology offers an in-depth diagnosis of the earth's ills as well as a practical vision of how to create an environmentally responsible future. In a highly readable style, the authors focus on such topics as energy and climate, the effects of water scarcity, the food prospect, oceans in distress, and consumerism and the future of the earth. Here the global, interdisciplinary perspective that makes Worldwatch research unique is available in an accessible, compelling form. All who care about the future of the planet will want to read this volume.