We are now in an unprecedented age where humans have become a force of global importance and where local human behavior has significant global impacts. In light of this new world order, Dr. Richard Rockwell of the University of Michigan addresses the issue of identifying and mitigating the negative impacts of human activity on the environment. These impacts, which Dr. Rockwell describes as large and growing, are and will continue to affect every individual, regardless of whether they directly contribute to the impacts or not.

Climate change gets the lion's share of media attention, but it is not the most certain, not the least reversible, and not the most significant (to date) of human-caused changes to the earth system. This talk , given by Stanford professor Dr. Peter Vitousek, examines the major components of human effects on Earth, with emphasis on the changing composition of the atmosphere, the transformation of Earth's surface by human activity, and the loss of biological diversity.

Dr. Richard Somerville speaks on how a sustainable future depends on scientific research, a global energy policy, and the political will that humanity applies to deal with the major issues of our times, including the goal of a stable world population.

Of the many pressing global change issues, none have as far-reaching effects as biodiversity loss. In this eloquent and passionate talk, Dr. Norman Myers explains why biodiversity is a crucial environmental issue and tells of efforts to find solutions to the problem of species extinction. In his talk, Dr. Myers pays specific attention to tropical forests, where biodiversity is greatest but most at risk.

The field of global change science is a relatively young field, developing out of the recognition of the sizable impact humans are making on the planet. In this lecture, Robert Corell, assistant director of the National Science Foundation, provides an overview of the scope of global change science and touches on its major contributions. In addition, Corell offers some comments about policies that can address global change issues.

Climate change is a force with global implications as well as unique regional effects. In this lecture, Dr. Norman Rosenberg, manager at the Battelle Pacific Northwest National Lab, explains the evidence for global climate change and then addresses the specific effects of a changing climate on the American Mid-West.