Worldwatch Institute

Formation	1974; 51 years ago (1974)
Dissolved	2017; 8 years ago (2017)
Founder	Lester R. Brown
Website	https://worldwatch.org

TheWorldwatch Institute was a globally focusedenvironmental research organization based inWashington, D.C., founded byLester R. Brown.^[1] Worldwatch was named as one of the top tensustainable development research organizations byGlobescan Survey of Sustainability Experts.

Brown left to found theEarth Policy Institute in 2000. The institute terminated in 2017, after publication of its lastState of the World Report. Worldwatch.org was unreachable from mid 2019.^[2]

The mission of the Institute read: "Through research and outreach that inspire action, the Worldwatch Institute works to accelerate the transition to asustainable world that meets human needs. The Institute's top mission objectives are universal access torenewable energy andnutritious food, expansion ofenvironmentally sound jobs and development, transformation of cultures fromconsumerism to sustainability, and an early end topopulation growth through healthy and intentionalchildbearing."^[3]

The Worldwatch Institute aimed to inform policymakers and the public about the links between theworld economy and its environmental support systems. Research conducted by the institute was integrative or interdisciplinary and global in scope.^[4]

Worldwatch's priority programs included:

• Building alow-carbon energy system that dramatically reduces the use offossil fuels and lowersgreenhouse gas emissions.^[5]
• Nourishing the Planet - methods that create asustainable food production system that provides a healthy, nutritious diet for all while sustaining the land, water, andbiological resources on which life depends. The project resulted in the Worldwatch Institute's flagship publication,State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet.^[6][7]
• Transforming economies,cultures, and societies that meets human needs, promotesprosperity, and is in harmony withnature.^[8]

Worldwatch also monitored humanhealth,population,water resources,biodiversity,governance, andenvironmental security.^[9]

• 1974—The institute was founded by Lester Brown.^[10]
• 1975—The firstWorldwatch Paper was published.
• 1984—FirstState of the World published.^[11]
• 1988—World Watch Magazine was launched.
• 1992—Vital Signs, Worldwatch's third annual series, was premiered.
• 2000—Christopher Flavin became President of Worldwatch in October.
• 2000—Lester R. Brown left, to found theEarth Policy Institute in 2001.
• 2008—Worldwatch hosted the 20th Anniversary of theJames E. Hansen hearings.
• 2010—July/August edition ofWorld Watch magazine was the last.^[12]
• 2011—Robert Engelman became President of Worldwatch in October.
• 2014—Ed Groark became Acting Interim President of Worldwatch.
• 2017—Ceased operations after its lastState of the World report was published.

Worldwatch Institute publications have been published in more than three dozen languages by its global partners in 40 countries.^[13] Worldwatch publications include:

• TheState of the World report is an annual assessment of urgent global environmental problems and the innovative ideas proposed and applied across the globe to address them.^[14]
• Vital Signs tracks social, environmental and economic trends and publishes data and analysis.^[15]

• Lester R. Brown, founder of Worldwatch Institute
• Ed Ayres, former editor ofWorldwatch, which ceased publication in 2010.
• Sustainable Development
• Environmental Movement
• List of environmental organizations
• World Nuclear Industry Status Report

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• Worldwatch Institute onTwitter

• Environmental organizations based in Washington, D.C.
• Organizations established in 1974
• 1974 establishments in Washington, D.C.
• Think tanks based in the United States
• Human overpopulation think tanks
• Population concern advocacy groups
• Population concern organizations

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