Many view the ‘bioeconomy’, as a key element of the future. While in the past, many vital activities were dependent on non-renewable inputs such petroleum based chemicals, the bioeconomy which utilizes advanced tools of modern biology, will yield products that are renewable and produced from plants and other organic matter that humans can grow. Countries, […]
The bioeconomy dilemma Read More »
Both locations have magnificent views of the Mediterranean and the new center is in a shell shaped structures with a wonderful veranda full of modern statues and overall is very elegantly designed but it is tough to compete with a classic Italian Palazzo. However the quiet air conditioning and the smooth operation of the audiovisual
I was amazed by the response to my previous post – and I will try address some of the main points. I found three main themes repeating through the comments. First, it is clear that there are many people who are concerned about the side effects of GMOs and don’t trust biotech companies that produce
The GMO labeling debate continued: It’s about the ‘benchmark’ Read More »
On November 6th, California voters will be asked to vote on a proposition about labeling of genetically modified (GM) products. On the surface this seems quite reasonable: people should have information about what they consume. In my view, labeling requirements are appropriate when there is undisputed scientific evidence that a food component is damaging, which,
Why labeling of GMOs is actually bad for people and the environment Read More »
While this may seem like a cheesy title it represents a newly acquired appreciation for the term ‘sustainable development’. Years ago, my Dean asked me to join the Center for Sustainable Resource Development and as a young faculty member I did not fully comprehend what it meant but I knew that one shouldn’t refuse the
Hooray for sustainable development Read More »
There is a growing concern about climate change and much of the worry pertains to the implications of climate change for food and agriculture. There is emerging evidence that increased heat beyond a certain threshold is likely to reduce yields and that climate change will require adaptation and change in land use patterns across locations.
AgBiotech and combating climate change Read More »
In 2008, after a competitive bidding process, UC Berkeley, LBNL and University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign started a ten-year research partnership with BP called the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI). The goal in creating the EBI was to establish a research program where modern tools of biology are applied to generate new and improved fuels. I contributed to
EBI: Now more important than ever Read More »
Last week the MacArthur Foundation announced that UC Berkeley will receive a grant to establish a Master’s in Development Practice (MDP), or as it was referred to, a Master’s in Sustainability Studies. This grant is both a wish come true and the beginning of a new challenge. I appreciate development. I grew up in Israel
Educating global leaders for sustainability at Berkeley Read More »
As the world is preparing for a big environmental summit in Copenhagen, knowing that an agreement is very unlikely, it’s become apparent how difficult it is to reach an environmental agreement that can stick and change the course of history. People that can bring about such agreement are really rare, and last week we lost
Tom Graff: A practical environmental visionary Read More »
I got a kick out of learning that Eleanor Ostrom and Berkeley’s Oliver Williamson won the Nobel in Economics. I had a similar response when the Psychologist, Dan Kahneman, won the prize. These are important steps in the expansion of economics and establishing an integrated social science based on rigorous logical thinking and empiricism. This
The New Nobels: Small steps toward integrated social science Read More »