I. Humans are damaging the natural world.

II. Environmental Stress.

1. Atmospheric.
2. Water Resources.
3. Oceans.
4. Soil.
5. Forest.
6. Living Species.
1. Irreversible loss of species.
2. Additional threats to living species.
3. Result of tampering with world’s interdependent web of life.
4. Complacency.
3. Population.
1. Earth is finite.
2. Effects of overpopulation.
3. Not much time left to take action.

V. Warning of scientific community.

4. Action we must take.

1. Manage resources more effectively.
2. Stabilize population.
3. Address poverty.
4. Insure sexual equality.

3. Responsibility of world’s largest polluting countries.
1. Recognition of responsibility serves self-interest.
2. Environmental damage is gravest threat to life.
3. Reduce violence and war.
4. We must develop a new ethic.
5. Scientific community needs help.

Because human activity is damaging (often irreversibly) the natural world causing environmental stress by exploiting fresh-water supply, oceans, soil, forests, and living species, which is exacerbated by overpopulation that puts additional demands on the natural world, the senior members of the scientific community are putting out a warning of what lies ahead and urging the world community to bring environmental damage under control, halt deforestation, manage resources more effectively, stabilize population, reduce and eliminate poverty, ensure gender equality, and develop a new ethic that will preserve the integrity of our finite earth.

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