Introduction: Tackling the Environmental Challenges of the 21st Century

This introductory content sets the stage for why the problems we face are so urgent, and why it’s not an option to use only the tools and approaches that have been traditionally used in environmental conservation. An overview of the drivers of environmental problems will give you a sense of the different problems and opportunities you might engage in, and set you up to select a topic to work on.

In the face of pressing environmental problems, it is natural to want to jump straight into action and focus on an immediate solution. But in order to design successful, equitable, and lasting interventions, we need to take a step back and get a deep and contextualized understanding of the problem.