The Initiative on Environment and Sustainability

The Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve

The 21st century is a critical time in our earth's history. The quality and quantity of natural resources—oceans, forests, freshwater, air—are stressed by the increasing demands of human activity. At the same time, nearly a billion people do not have enough food to eat and more than a billion do not have access to clean water. The challenges of providing the resources we need without irrevocably compromising our precious life-support systems are formidable. Through Stanford's Initiative on the Environment and Sustainability, environmental researchers and scholars are taking up these challenges, helping to ensure that current and future generations can live well on our planet.

"With the diverse strengths of our academic departments and schools, and the integrating force of the Woods Institute, Stanford has a chance to make a difference in the earth's future."

— Jeffrey Koseff, Pamela Maston, and Barton H. "Buzz" Thompson, Jr.
Faculty leaders of the Initiative on the Environment and Sustainability