World Transition Research Articles

LCA-based carbon footprint analysis of anaerobic digestion of coffee husk waste

While studies have shown that anaerobic digestion (AD) with energy generation of agricultural residues have many benefits, it is still unclear the extent to which this technology can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly in the context of coffee husk wastes. To address this knowledge gap, this work explored three scenarios of coffee husks as an energy source: 0) business-as-usual (landfilling); 1) AD with energy generation; 2) same as the previous one, adding a hydrothermal hydrolysis pre-treatment step. The study adopted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to estimate the environmental impacts of this technology in terms of GHG emissions. The results indicate that the main benefit of using AD is to avoid the impacts of landfilling, as the carbon footprint for the landfilling scenario was more than 13 times higher than the others. The emissions from digestate management were the main source of the overall emissions, accounting for 34 %. However, its use to replace chemical fertilizers affected the environmental performance positively. The inclusion of the pre-treatment was a key factor in making the bioenergy from coffee husks less carbon-intensive than natural gas and oil, although common renewable sources such as wind and hydropower tend to have lower GHG emissions. Sensitivity analyses indicate that this type of bioenergy can mitigate GHG emissions from energy generation in coffee-producing countries with fossil-based energy mixes. Overall, this work fills a knowledge gap by providing empirical evidence to the potential benefits of using coffee husks in the world's transition to a low-carbon economy.

Effectiveness of electric mass transit buses as a means of public transportation, Lagos case study

The world's transition to more environmentally friendly transportation modes has attracted attention to the importance of electric vehicles in reducing the negative environmental impacts of transportation. In Nigeria, where transportation services are primarily fueled by petrol and diesel, CO2 emissions amounted to approximately 27 million in 2020. Recently, two electric buses and a charging station were launched as proof of concept for a project aimed at supporting the transformation of Lagos public transportation to a carbon free mobility system. Considering that Lagos is currently dealing with rapidly increasing urbanization and a growing transportation industry, the integration of electric vehicles promises tremendous benefits but requires careful evaluation. This study therefore evaluates the feasibility of electric vehicles in Nigeria, using Lagos as a case study. The study uses a multidimensional approach involving questionnaires, interviews, inspections, and the development of an Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) model. With an OEE of 51%, results indicate that the use of electric mass transit buses is sustainable. However, in order to achieve more significant impacts and better performance of the buses, it is necessary to improve the quality of public transportation and integrate renewable energy sources in Nigeria. Overall, this study contributes to the advancement of the ongoing project in Lagos, fostering a paradigm shift towards cleaner and more environmentally friendly mobility in Nigeria. Furthermore, the study promotes the development of an inclusive and broadly applicable methodology for evaluating and advancing transportation solutions globally.

Interdisciplinary Training For Future Leaders Through The Create-Redevelop Graduate Student Program

REDEVELOP is a graduate student training program funded by the NSERC-CREATE grant, starting in 2017. Its goal is to support the training of new professionals and researchers (> 100) who will be the next generation of science and engineering leaders and policymakers in Canada. The program has successfully developed a framework for operating almost completely virtually, well ahead of the world's transition to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our psychology lab, The Individual and Team Performance (ITP) lab, has dedicated over a decade to researching and designing tools that enhance specific training and skill growth necessary for effective remote teamwork. In partnership with the REDEVELOP program, we support students in navigating the unique interpersonal and collaboration challenges posed by virtual team environments. We will discuss how a complex and multidisciplinary program succeeds in training graduate students to become stronger academics, practitioners, and communicators of knowledge.

Neighbouring Synergy in High-Density Single Ir Atoms on CoGaOOH for Efficient Alkaline Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution.

The catalytic performance of single-atom catalysts was strictly limited by isolated single-atom sites. Fabricating high-density single atoms to realize the synergetic interaction in neighbouring single atoms could optimize the adsorption behaviors of reaction intermediates, which exhibited great potential to break performance limitations and deepen mechanistic understanding of electrocatalysis. However, the catalytic behavior governed by neighbouring single atoms is particularly elusive and has yet to be understood. Herein, we revealed that the synergetic interaction in neighbouring single atoms contributes to superior performance for oxygen evolution relative to isolated Ir single atoms. Neighbouring single atoms was achieved by fabricating high-density single atoms to narrow the distance between single atoms. Electrochemical measurements demonstrated that the Nei-Ir1/CoGaOOH with neighbouring Ir single atoms exhibited a low overpotential of 170 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2, and long-durable stability over 2000 h for oxygen evolution. Mechanistic studies revealed that neighbouring single atoms synergetic stabilized the *OOH intermediates via extra hydrogen bonding interactions, thus significantly reducing the reaction energy barriers, as compared to isolated Ir single atoms. The discovery of the synergetic interaction in neighbouring single atoms could offer guidance for the development of efficient electrocatalysts, thus accelerating the world's transition to sustainable energy.

Unlocking Synergy: Solar Cell Integration with Radio Waves for AI, IT, and Business Advancements

Combining radio waves and solar cells is a ground-breaking technological convergence that has significant ramifications for wireless communication, energy production, and a wide range of other uses. This study investigates the underlying concepts, applications, prospects, and challenges of solar cell radio wave integration, covering a broad range of topics. We start with a summary of solar cells and their various uses before delving into the photovoltaic effect, solar cell varieties, and how they power buildings for homes and businesses, solar farms, off-grid systems, and even space exploration. Since their invention, solar cells have advanced significantly, and they are now essential to the world's transition to renewable energy sources. Modern technology relies heavily on radio waves, the unsung heroes of our globalized society. We reveal the role that radio waves play in wireless communication, covering everything from radar systems, satellite communication, and the Internet of Things (IoT) to broadcasting and wireless communication networks. Combining these two technologies results in better energy harvesting, sustainability, wireless device power, energy independence, cost savings, and dependability. Solar cells use radiation from the environment and sunshine. Nevertheless, there are drawbacks to this integration as well, including compatibility, efficiency, cost concerns, and regulatory compliance. The paper then looks at actual case studies that show how solar cell radio wave integration can be implemented successfully. These examples show the many and revolutionary uses of this technology, from off-grid communication and smart building energy efficiency to IoT environmental monitoring in remote locations and solar-powered wearables. We investigate future directions for solar cell radio wave integration advances. These include improved energy harvesting, incorporation into commonplace items, wearable medical and health technology, smart cities and infrastructure, satellite technology and space exploration, environmental monitoring and conservation, emergency response and disaster recovery, and microgrids for energy resilience. Finally, this research shows how solar cell radio wave integration can change the world by revealing its intricate workings. The convergence of these technologies is transforming wireless communication, artificial intelligence (AI), information technology (IT), and corporate operations in addition to altering how we produce and utilize energy. Sustainable, effective, and networked systems have the potential to build a more resilient and sustainable world in the future.

Concept of environmental compliance in the transition to the green economy and ways of its development

Currently, green economy and green energy are world trends. The world's transition to a green economy cannot be ignored. Organizations that fail to adapt to these conditions face financial losses. That is why environmental compliance should be given special attention, as the risks associated with environmental legislation can be very dangerous for business. During the transition to the green economy, preserving the environment allows enterprises to adapt to new market conditions. Compliance with environmental norms, laws and regulations allows to achieve a positive result in the way of increasing the investment attractiveness of business. Currently, it also affects the status of enterprises among the population. In order to organize a comprehensive environmental audit in general enterprises, an integrated system of environmental compliance is needed and it is necessary to introduce environmental compliance into the management of the enterprise by creating synergy with the audit, which should be implemented as a process accompanying the environmental audit. It helps to timely identify and prevent weaknesses of the company in the field of environmental protection and identifies environmental risks aimed at avoiding losses during the implementation of environmental protection. This, in turn, is the way to improve the environmental situation at the level of the republic, when enterprises and businesses obey environmental legislation and implement it on their part. espite the lack of clear advantages, companies should protect the environment because it ensures that legally sound decisions are made with a view to the future. Environmental compliance is a system tool that complements management and helps to pass environmental audits at an appropriate level in environmental management.

Social Media Applications For Independence Economy

A considerable advancement has been achieved in Indonesia's digitalization process. The increase in internet users after the epidemic has facilitated the world's transition to a digital society. The real-time transfer of information from remote regions of Garut Regency to England is made possible by technological advancements. If this material is shared via social media, it can be promptly accessed by a larger audience. This has led to the creation of new jobs, such as those for content creators who use social media to assist media networks, particularly young people, in becoming financially independent. Since 2022, there has been an increase in internet users in locations like Garut, West Java. Still, the primary industries providing Garut Regency's citizens with money are agriculture, livestock, textiles, and fishing. This project aims to give the younger generation in Garut Regency a new social media paradigm that includes new revenue streams. The first awareness-raising campaigns made the younger generation in Garut Regency aware of the use of social media as a means of encouraging economic independence. Second, the content development sector is expanding in the Garut Regency.

Biomass solar fast pyrolysis with a biomimetic mini heliostat field and thermal receiver for nitrogen heating

Biofuels may significantly influence the world's transition from hydrocarbons to renewable energies. Pyrolysis uses thermal energy in an anaerobic ambiance to crack biomass and create biofuels (bio-oil and synthesis gas). This work reports a detailed computational study of a novel system to develop fast biomass pyrolysis with concentrated solar energy. A fluidized bed reactor was coupled to a solar thermal receiver to heat the inert fluid (nitrogen) using a biomimetic mini heliostat field which provides the required thermal energy. A detailed kinetic model for the pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass was solved simultaneously with a set of differential equations based on mass, momentum, and energy conservation principles. An Eulerian-Eulerian approach was considered with three phases. The computational model was compared with data reported in the literature for the fluidized bed reactor and heat transfer in the solar thermal receiver with good agreement. Concentrated solar fluxes on the receiver, nitrogen outlet temperatures, temperature contours inside the reactor, concentration contours of relevant gases, and global product percentages (Tar, Char, and Gas) are reported. The products reach an almost constant composition of Gas, Tar, and Char after 6 s of reaction, indicating the annual operational stability of the solar pyrolysis plant in terms of biofuel production.

Dimensi Teoretikal Psikoterapi Komplementari dalam Tafsir al-Qurṭubī

The world's transition to an endemic phase has had a significant impact on the global community's mental health. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts a silent pandemic related to mental health due to Covid-19 during this phase. This can be attributed to the increased pressures of post-pandemic life, including economic aspects and changes in daily routines. Mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout have been identified. Therefore, initiatives like complementary psychotherapy are crucial for maintaining mental well-being. This study aims to discuss the theoretical dimensions of complementary psychotherapy in Tafsir al-Qurtubi. The focus is on a compilation of interpretations of 18 verses related to tafakkur (contemplation) found in 13 surahs. Using a qualitative method with a thematic content analysis approach, the study reveals that Imam al-Qurtubi's compilation of interpretations of āyāt al-tafakkur is comprehensive and aligns with several dimensions of psychotherapy. These dimensions include the recovery of traumatic experiences, re-education, reassurance, and psychological support. The combination of interpretations clearly demonstrates Imam al-Qurtubi's contribution to developing a complementary approach for preserving psychological well-being. In conclusion, the compilation of interpretations of āyāt al-tafakkur by Imam al-Qurtubi deserves recognition as a valuable part of the theoretical foundation of complementary psychotherapy in managing mental well-being during the endemic phase.

The Problem with the Anthropocene: Kainos, Not Anthropos

The Problem with the Anthropocene: <i>Kainos</i>, Not <i>Anthropos</i>

C������ ����� �������� �������

Abstract. Introduction. Information Technology has revolutionized various aspects of our lives; in particular, it provided an easy way to make digital payments. Common people have started shifting from traditional payment system to digital payment systems that provide safety, security and convenience. Thanks to the giant technological advances in smartphones and easy access to the Internet, the Ukrainian market began to accept digital payments. Changes in consumer preferences and technological innovation have fueled competition in the private sector and the diversity of payments. Global digitalization processes have contributed to the transition of the world's transition to digital payments. Payment systems have proven to be reliable and durable, and continue to enjoy a high level of trust from the public. However, the global crisis that began in 2020 led to a decrease in the total volume of transactions. All actors in the digital payments ecosystem need to evolve and adapt quickly in this direction to facilitate the recovery and shape the emergence of a new normal in payments. Purpose. Defining the current state of digital payments in the world. Consideration of the latest means of electronic payment. Results. �onsidered payment systems in Ukraine and the growth of the digital payments market in the world. The Law of Ukraine about Payment Services was considered. �dentified the leading countries in the digital payments market. Give the graph of the number of mobile payment users by country of the world. Defined the region that will dominate the digital payments market in the coming decade has been. Considered the growth of instant payments in the world. Conclusions. Highlighted the main modern means of payment, which are already used in the global market of digital payments. Specified four main trends that contributed to the development of payment systems are.

Enhancing Hydrogen Oxidation and Evolution Kinetics by Tuning the Interfacial Hydrogen‐Bonding Environment on Functionalized Platinum Surfaces

AbstractDeveloping efficient catalytic systems for the hydrogen oxidation and evolution reactions (HOR/HER) is essential in the world's transition to renewable energy. There is a growing recognition that the HOR/HER activity depends on properties of the electrochemical interface, rather than just the composition and structure of the catalyst. Herein, we demonstrate that specifically adsorbed organic additives (theophylline derivatives) could enhance the intrinsic HOR/HER activity in base on polycrystalline Pt by up to a factor of 3 via introducing weakly hydrogen‐bonded water, as confirmed by in situ surface enhanced infrared and Raman spectroscopies. Optimal HOR/HER activity is achieved on a 7‐n‐butyltheophylline decorated Pt surface, which sufficiently disrupts the hydrogen bonding network in the double layer without depleting the interfacial water. This work demonstrates the promise of electrochemical interfacial engineering as a strategy to boost electrocatalytic performance.

Enhancing Hydrogen Oxidation and Evolution Kinetics by Tuning the Interfacial Hydrogen-Bonding Environment on Functionalized Platinum Surfaces.

Developing efficient catalytic systems for the hydrogen oxidation and evolution reactions (HOR/HER) is essential in the world's transition to renewable energy. There is a growing recognition that the HOR/HER activity depends on properties of the electrochemical interface, rather than just the composition and structure of the catalyst. Herein, we demonstrate that specifically adsorbed organic additives (theophylline derivatives) could enhance the intrinsic HOR/HER activity in base on polycrystalline Pt by up to a factor of 3 via introducing weakly hydrogen-bonded water, as confirmed by in situ surface enhanced infrared and Raman spectroscopies. Optimal HOR/HER activity is achieved on a 7-n-butyltheophylline decorated Pt surface, which sufficiently disrupts the hydrogen bonding network in the double layer without depleting the interfacial water. This work demonstrates the promise of electrochemical interfacial engineering as a strategy to boost electrocatalytic performance.

ИННОВАЦИИ И НОВАТОРСТВО В РОССИИ. ЧТО НЕ ПОНЯЛ ИЛИ НЕ ЗАХОТЕЛ ПОНЯТЬ АМЕРИКАНСКИЙ «ИСТОРИК НАУКИ»

The article deals with a complex and ambiguous phenomenon in Russian historical practice, i.e., innovations and pioneer work. In the context of the world's transition to a new industrial order, this topic is of particular importance. Its theoretical development on the materials of national history by historical and economic science began quite recently. Therefore, L. Graham's book could fill the existing gaps in understanding this phenomenon. The American researcher collected considerable factual material and tried to characterize the Russian innovator, to show the reasons for Russia's lagging in the promotion of innovative developments and in their commercialization over a long historical period. This article is devoted to the analysis of L. Graham's research.

Ectoplasm and Spirits in the Material World

Ectoplasm and Spirits in the Material World L. Anne Delgado (bio) In the middle of the nineteenth century, the spirit world became emphatically corporeal. Luminous full-bodied phantoms emerged from the medium's cabinet, a concealing cupboard or curtained space that was a common feature of certain types of séances. These phantoms would perch [End Page 33] on the knees of proper Victorian gentlemen, or they might caress the faces of those seeking physical contact with the other side. The séance, a parlour-room diversion that was purported to conduct such otherworldly traffic and that had, by the closing decades of the Victorian period, become a cultural obsession, offered its audiences something that mere science and stage magic could not: contact with a world that was both tangible and fervently desired. But after several of these phantoms, known as full-body manifestations, were discovered to be fraudulent, the séance-room spirit transformed into something even more extraordinary. By the 1890s, the spirit world disgorged fat slabs of curdled plasma—what the Nobel laureate physiologist Charles Richet would call "ectoplasm" (515)—and this new material became one of the most sensational substances to emerge from the nineteenth century. It was also a contentious fluid that many believed would reconcile science with spirituality. Before it was known as ectoplasm, it had been called a "soul substance" (Flammarion 80), a "biogen" (Coues), a manifestation of the perispirit (Kardec), and a psychoplasm (Lewes 118). It was believed to have emerged from the medium's bodily orifices and would often accumulate in pale clumps on her breast or shoulder, on the séance room table, or on the floor. Ectoplasmic blobs, however, became commonplace only at the very end of the nineteenth century. Before it was seen, ectoplasm was experienced as a phantom touch in the dark or force that tipped tables. Those who studied the substance were likely responsible for ectoplasm's evolution. Theories concerning its formation varied. Some believed that the stuff was evidence of the spirit world, others thought it was a material projection of certain psychic states, some considered it a manifestation of the fourth dimension, and still others believed it was nothing more than a grotesque stage act.1 Not unlike the full-body manifestation, ectoplasm dislodged furniture and made physical contact with members of the séance circle. The gifted and somewhat mischievous spiritualist medium Eusapia Palladino produced big wandering pseudopods that tipped tables (Richet 402). According to British physicist Oliver Lodge, Palladino's manifestations led Richet to exclaim: "C'est absolument absurd, mais c'est vrai!" [It's absolutely absurd, but it's true] (302). But ectoplasm would soon evolve into something even more absurd. It dripped from the noses, ears, and genitals of those skilled enough to produce it. It was soon viewed as a new biological order, a substance that made visible unseen mechanisms and worlds. And unlike the full-body materialization, ectoplasm showed no signs of disappearing. There were still mediums who produced fully or partially formed phantoms, but the modern manifestation became more viscous and rudimentary. It was not a body. It was not even recognizable as a ghost. It was as though the spirit world had reassessed the plausibility of the full-body materialization and found it wanting. [End Page 34] But perhaps it wasn't the spirit world but the psychical researcher that dictated this shift. Richet argued that ectoplasm was a manifestation of the medium's will or life force rather than the physical embodiment of a spirit (458). This marked the beginning of the spirit world's transition. Contemporary science formed the foundation of these new non-spiritual theories of the séance room and its discontents. But the substance had been around much longer than Richet or Palladino. According to Arthur Conan Doyle, one of the most zealous spiritualists of the period and creator of Sherlock Holmes, one of fiction's most ardent rationalists, ectoplasmic phenomena had first been described by the eighteenth-century mystic Emmanuel Swedenborg. In the midst of an angelic visitation, the mystic noted feeling "a kind of vapour steaming from the pores of my body. It was a most visible watery...

Renewable Methane Generation from Carbon Dioxide and Sunlight.

The direct approach: Methane is a potential key player in the world's transition to a more sustainable energy future. The direct conversion of carbon dioxide into methane is highly desirable to lower the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere and also to store renewable energy. This Highlight describes the first homogeneous system for the light-driven conversion of CO2 into CH4 .

Photovoltaic Evaporative Chimney as a new alternative to enhance solar cooling

Cooling sector plays a crucial role in the World's transition towards an efficient and decarbonised energy system. Solar cooling is an attractive idea because of the chronological coincidence between available solar radiation and cooling needs. This paper studies the possibility of increasing the efficiency of solar photovoltaic modules by evaporative cooling. This, combined with the use of a water condensed chiller, will enable an efficient cooling system design as a whole. To achieve this goal this paper experimentally evaluates the thermal and electrical performance of a Photovoltaic Evaporative Chimney. A prototype with two photovoltaic modules was built; one of them is used as a reference and the other is modified in its rear side including the evaporative solar chimney. The system is able to dissipate a thermal power of about 1500 W with a thermal efficiency exceeding 30% in summer conditions. The module temperature differences reach 8 K, depending on the wind conditions and ambient air psychrometric properties. Regarding the electrical efficiency, the results showed an average improvement of 4.9% to a maximum of 7.6% around midday in a typical summer day for a Mediterranean climate.

Methodologies for leapfrogging to low carbon and sustainable development in Asia

It is clear that much more drastic and early actions than those that are presently being undertaken are needed to limit the average global temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. The Asian region, accounting for a significant portion of global greenhouse gas emissions and growing at a rapid economic pace, has a major role to play in the world's transition to a low carbon society (LCS). To design leapfrog pathways to low carbon and sustainable development, it is important to have a scientific tool that can develop LCS pathways and analyze the effectiveness of policies to achieve them under different scenarios. The Asia-Pacific Integrated Assessment Model (AIM) is an effective tool to support these analyses. It has been developed by researchers in Asia and used in policymaking processes in Asia. It can provide comprehensive and consistent assessment of various policies, including macro-economic policies and technological measures. It can analyze trade-offs between rapid economic growth in Asia and its environmental impact and assess sustainable development policies. This paper presents the processes of designing LCS policies and how modeling tools can support the analyses of the leapfrog pathways to a LCS. As a modeling tool, the family of AIM models is explained and their applications in Asia are presented. Procedures to design and implement low carbon policies together with the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle are also presented.

Great events from history: the 20th century, 1941-1970

In 18th Century, the new content constitutes more than two-thirds of the set. Commissioned especially for the new series and appearing here for the first time, essays cover the world's most important events and developments - from 1701 through 1800 - in the century that witnessed the world's transition to a modern industrial and scientific society. from The 18th Century begins with 105 core essays from Salem's acclaimed Chronology of European History and Great Events from History: North American Series. The set adds 238 new essays. That's 69 percent new coverage! covered include the obligatory geopolitical events of the era - from the War of the Spanish Succession through the American and French Revolutions, from the collapse of the South Sea Bubble to the rise of Napoleon. Also, however, the essays address key social and cultural developments in daily life, from the expansion of the Atlantic slave trade to the opening of Japan to foreign commerce and publications. Scientific achievements boomed in this post-Newtonian age. Hence, major advancements in astronomy, chemistry, geology, mathematics, physics, biology and genetics are thoroughly covered here - as are many of their practical applications. The emphasis of this collection, therefore, is on those turning points that redirected contemporary affairs and shaped the modern world - not only geopolitically but also in the experience of everyday life from its practical exigencies to its highest achievements. Each chronologically ordered essay lists the event's most precise date of occurrence; a capsule summary of the event's importance; the category or categories of the event (from arts to wars); the geographical locale (both contemporary and modern place-names); a list of Key Figures including name, birth and death years, regional dates or terms of office, and brief descriptors of their roles; a chronological Summary of Event; an assessment of the event's historical Significance; a fully annotated Further Reading section listing sources for additional study; and cross-references to other essays of interest. The essays have an average length of 1,600 words (2-3 pages) and adhere to a uniform format, making it easy to locate key data points. Bibliographies for the old essays have been expanded and updated. All essays are cross-referenced internally, to each other, and externally, to the companion essays in Lives from The 18th Century (simultaneous publication, 2006). Because the set is ordered chronologically, a 'Keyword List of Contents' appears in the front matter to both volumes and alphabetically lists all essays, permuted by all keywords in the essay's title, to assist in locating events by name.

Ecology and the transition to sustainability

Ecological knowledge is essential for a successful transition to sustainability – a transition to a world in which hunger and poverty are reduced, while the Earth's life support system, thebiosphere, is conserved. The Ecological Society of America (ESA) has been working working to promote a change to sustainability for over a decade. In 1991, the Society launched its Sustainable Biosphere Initiative (SBI), which has had many successes. The initiative stimulated new ecological research and advanced ecological knowledge in the service of society. In addition, it has fostered communication of that knowledge to our nation's leaders, to help them make informed decisions about the complex challenges of protecting and improving the environment while maintaining economic prosperity. Despite more than a decade of effort, our work on the move to sustainability is in its early stages. This task is complicated by the fact that we are seeking sustainability in a changing world that is putting ever more pressure on the biosphere. Since the initiation of the SBI, the human population has grown beyond 6 billion. Across the globe, people are abandoning rural areas for cities; these human-designed environments, when poorly conceived, degrade the ecosystems that supply essential services such as cleansing of air and water and stabilizing landscapes against erosion by wind and water. Essential ecosystem services are also being compromised by the introduction of alien species of plants and animals into ecosystems, either purposefully or inadvertently. Regional air and water pollution have become the unwanted companions of economic growth in much of the developing world, and this pollution is taking a toll on human health as well as reducing yields of the food and fiber that are so desperately needed by a growing world population. Greenhouse gases from fossil fuel burning and deforestation continue to accumulate in the atmosphere and are causing climate change. Overfishing, especially of the high tropic levels, is impoverishing the world's oceans. The list goes on. As the threats to the world's transition to sustainability continue to mount, ESA has taken a fresh look at this critical issue and the future of ecological science in general. In 2002, the Society's Governing Board charged a committee to prepare an action plan that would accelerate our progress in addressing the major environmental issues of the new century. Over a 2-year period, what has come to be known as the “Visions Committee” consulted our membership as well as many organizations and individuals outside ESA. They articulated their core position as follows: “Ecological knowledge can and must play a central role in helping achieve a world in which human populations exist with sustainable ecological systems.” The action plan focuses on three areas: building an informed public, advancing innovative, anticipatory research, and stimulating cultural changes that foster a forward-looking and international ecology. The Visions Committee has proposed 26 specific actions, designed to cover these focus areas. Some require modest investments of time and money, while others require major commitments of resources. An example of the latter is the call for a major information campaign to bring issues of ecological sustainability before the general public. The Governing Board of the Society is working to prioritize the list of actions and to move forward rapidly. On behalf of the Society's membership, we thank the Visions Committee for a job well done. This issue of Frontiers begins with an overview paper by the Visions Committee that summarizes its recommended actions. The remaining papers address some of the main ecological issues that must be dealt with if society is to make progress towards a more sustainable future. Jerry M Melillo (President) Nancy B Grimm (President-elect) William H Schlesinger (Past President)