“The health of the world, and particularly of the poor, hangs in the balance as we seek a global agreement to halt the human-caused alteration of our planet’s climate.”
—Gro Harlem Brundtland, Special Envoy on Climate Change to the UN Secretary General, in the preface to the latest Worldwatch report, Global Environmental Change: The Threat to Human Health

Dear Friend,

Last week, the United Nations Population Fund released the State of World Population 2009, a report that Worldwatch was pleased to coordinate as lead author. One major finding of the report is that cultural, legal, and other barriers, such as poverty, keep women from having a say in the decisions that affect their environments, their families, and their livelihoods—in other words, their lives.

Who is telling the stories of women who are thriving despite the daily challenges they face? On-the-ground, first-person research is what tends to be missing in a lot of publications and news sources these days. But Worldwatch is focused on telling people’s stories from their perspectives. Through our two-year “Nourishing the Planet” project, made possible by a grant from the Gates Foundation, Worldwatch is placing staff in the field to find out what is really working in agriculture—from policies designed to empower women and communities to innovative ways to produce nutritious food for vulnerable populations.

Through the support of donors like you, we will continue to make the connections between environmental challenges like climate change and the issues everyone cares about: nourishing people, reducing poverty, and empowering women and communities. Senior researcher Danielle Nierenberg is currently traveling around sub-Saharan Africa collecting research, building partnerships, gathering stories, and filming video—all of which you can follow through her popular blog.

With your tax-deductible gift of $50, $100, $250, or more, you will allow us to continue our work assessing the state of agricultural innovations—from cropping methods to irrigation technology to agricultural policy—with an emphasis on sustainability, diversity, and ecosystem health as well as productivity.

“Worldwatch’s in-depth coverage of environmental issues has broadened my understanding of what is at stake for us and the planet that we call home. This knowledge has in turn spurred our family into becoming global participants and citizens for change. This is the reason I find it critical to support the mission of Worldwatch today.” —Leigh Merinoff, Worldwatch Supporter

With your support, we will be able to continue researching sustainable agricultural solutions that address both hunger and climate change while also empowering local communities. By funding these projects and our publications, from State of the World 2011 to in-depth briefings, we will provide first-hand content to advise policymakers, academics, everyday citizens, and the private sector.

And, thanks to a $5,000 matching-pledge commitment from Friend of Worldwatch Leigh Merinoff, your donation will go twice as far! So please help us ensure a future of unmatched sustainable agriculture research—give a gift today and help us reach our goal of $20,000.

Your contribution of $35, $50, $100, $250, or more will make this critical work possible.