"In that context we put a special focus on empowering girls and women, who bear the greatest brunt of poverty, but who are also our greatest hope for bringing long lasting prosperity to their families and communities. As the saying goes, if you educate a girl, you educate a nation."

Two nightmare scenarios -- a global scarcity of vital resources and the onset of extreme climate change -- are already beginning to converge and in the coming decades are likely to produce a tidal wave of unrest, rebellion, competition, and conflict.

Last time I checked, Earth is the only place we have to live, and what kind of future am I providing for my daughter if I am not cognizant of how my life, and the decisions of my government, effect our environment?

The basic equation of how much there is to go around is hard to avoid, and the inflationary bubble we've been living in during the age of abundant energy inputs (primarily through fossil fuels) is bound to burst.

It is fitting that the EITI has chosen to meet in Norway this week, a country known for promoting transparency in the extractive industries.

Global growth will likely increase the demand for food, water, and energy by 35, 40, and 50 percent, respectively, by 2030. Add continued climate change to the equation, and the struggle for resources only becomes more intense.

A number of state constitutions explicitly gives legislators the responsibility for stewardship of natural resources for the benefit of future generations. Let's make a New Year's pledge to the future. Let's work towards wider adoption of this simple idea.

Can we increase the planet's production of goods and services to meet the needs of a growing population without destroying the planet's natural systems that we depend on?

With less than seven percent of this initial commitment to the Gulf Coast met, it's fair to say BP must do a better job of working fairly with the state and federal trustee to move projects forward.

Our natural environment and the resource base for the world economy are inexorably linked. Therefore these two crucial parts must come together for the house to remain standing, as our species is now heading toward 8 billion by 2025.

I frequently make the argument that a more profitable economy is one based on sustainability principles: Minimal use of finite resources, minimal environmental impact during consumption and production, and maximum use of renewable and recycled resources.