In an ever-changing and evolving world, how can we harness all available knowledge, information and technology for the sole purpose of positively benefiting the human race?

Knowledge based decisions in an ever changing world are essential to the success of human organizations. From history, we know that catastrophic events have occurred, such as meteor and asteroid strikes, climate shifts/changes and mass extinctions, wiping out an unknown number of living species. These catastrophic events could not be stopped or their effects prevented in part because of the lack of knowledge and lack of organization of the inhabiting species. Human society has evolved into a knowledge driven society. We must begin to better organize ourselves and cooperate with each other in order to harness our growing knowledge and sophisticated technologies to focus our efforts on preserving the human race from the effects of future catastrophic events, both natural and anthropogenic. Catastrophic events impacting our earth’s systems will occur in the future and the degree of their impact will largely depend on human organizations and cooperation of, and decisions made by, the leaders of the world. The question is, “How can we ensure that the information provided to our leaders and policy makers is based on the most accurate and up-to-date knowledge, information and technology available, so that the decisions made will have the highest probability for success?”

We are in much need of a global effort to organize, assimilate, maintain and promote all available knowledge, information and technology so that the decisions made will have the highest probability for success. The current structure and institutions in place lack this capability, and until we figure out a way to integrate our rapidly growing knowledge, information and technology into a structure that has the capability to use it all, we run the risk of making decisions based on partial knowledge and information, thus leading to a decision that does not have the highest probability for success.

Scott Sellars
Graduate Student
Columbia University

What technologies and strategies should we adopt in order to minimise our non carbon neutral emissions with the limited resources available without having to make drastic changes to our way of life?

On the basis that global warming may cause catastrophic climate change, if left unchecked, leading to catastrophic effects for the humanity and many other living things and that the evidence indicates that human activity, specifically our desire for energy using technologies, is probably the major cause of climate change.
Considering also the following:
> Generally speaking people like the energy-using technologies, travel, computers, central heating, modern medicine etc. and it would be almost impossible to turn the clock back to the pre-industrial age and in any case it would also require a massive population reduction to be viable anyway.
> There is no shortage of clean energy, the Sahara desert alone receives about 150 times more solar energy daily than the energy used by entire human population each day, the world receives nearly 10,000 times more.
I believe we need an integrated global strategy that integrates energy supply, distribution and use of energy, the latter includes use reduction from efficiency measures and population control but not banning private cars, etc. Population control is actually more important with regard to food and water supply, at the current population growth rate of 1%, then in a about 1,170 years we would run out of dry land for everyone to stand on let alone for growing crops.

How much can cloud seeding be effective to get artificial rain? What are possible consequences on soil fertility and human health?

Silver iodide is used to spray on the clouds to obtain artificial rain. Then what about chemical compounds? These compounds may get mixed up with rain drops and while raining may get mixed up in soil and water. An experiment may give water but reduces soil fertility, as read in the paper. It is also possible that the such water may be hazardous to human health. In this case how much can cloud seeding be useful?

How do we prevent the collapse of civilisation by quick global mobilisation for the human right of family planning (1968, Tehran), for eradication of family planning illiteracy (even in the rich countries), for contraceptives that are more effective, cheaper and can be used even among hard circumstances of violence, poverty, and illiteracy?

Why family planning is privilige of the rich? “Unmet need for family planning undermines achievement of all Millennium Development Goals.” (UN)

“Family planning could bring more benefits to more people at less cost than any other single ‘technology’ now available to the human race. But it is not appreciated widely enough that this would still be true even if there were no such thing as a population problem.” (UNICEF)