Which World?: Scenarios For The 21St Century
Hammond (director, Strategic Analysis, World Resources Inst.) bases the title of this work on the results of the 2050 Project, a joint research program of the Brookings Institution, the World Resources Institute, and the Sante Fe Institute. Given the fairly liberal bent of these organizations, it is not surprising that the most enlightened and socially productive path centers around the "Transformed World" scenario, which requires some enlightened social engineering, significant environmental payoffs, and enlightened self-interest among international market forces. The other two scenarios are "Market World" and "Fortress World." Market World pictures a number of positive social and economic indicators but also significant degradation of environmental quality. Fortress World imagines a world beset by massive social and economic unrest and inequalities, dwindling natural resources, and less tolerant governments. The book concludes with surveys of seven major global regions and how each of the three scenarios could play out there. Hammond quite correctly sees elements of all three scenarios in world economic, social, environmental, and security trends. Fascinating and thought-provoking, this is an excellent choice for all academic and larger public libraries.?Stephen W. Green, Auraria Lib., DenverCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.