In order for any long-term plan to be effective, we must analyze data and present in a mathematical way. Hans Herren, PhD, an expert in sustainability recognizes that in order for people to continue living on earth for the next 50, 100, and 200 years, he must consider every system in concert—not just agricultural. Herren, along with the Millennium Institute, works to present viable sustainable living models to governments through careful calculations.

“The model integrates the environment, which holds basically everything—land, water, pollution issues, people, education, healthcare, government; everything is connected to everything else via equations,” Herren said in an interview with Organic Connections.

“We are training people within governments, within key ministries such as finance or planning, to use system models to help them in playing out scenarios. Every country has set a number of goals, but the question is how do they get there? So they’re using these computer models, which we built with them, so it actually becomes their model.”

Read more in Organic Connections.