Anne H. Ehrlich
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Anne Howland Ehrlich (born Anne Fitzhugh Howland; November 17, 1933) is an American senior research scientist emeritus in conservation biology in the Department of Biology at
Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is conside ...
and co-author of more than thirty books on
overpopulation Overpopulation or overabundance is a phenomenon in which a species' population becomes larger than the carrying capacity of its environment. This may be caused by increased birth rates, lowered mortality rates, reduced predation or large scale ...
and
ecology Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overl ...
with her colleague and husband, Stanford professor Paul R. Ehrlich, including ''The population Bomb'' (1968), ''The Stork and the Plow'' (1995), with Gretchen Daily, and ''The Dominant Animal: Human Evolution and the Environment'' (2008). She also has written extensively on issues of public concern such as population control, environmental protection, and environmental consequences of nuclear war. She is seen is one of the key figures in the debate on conservation biology. The essence of her reasoning is that unlimited population growth and man’s unregulated exploitation of natural resources form a serious threat to the environment. Her publications have been a significant source of inspiration to the
Club of Rome The Club of Rome is a nonprofit, informal organization of intellectuals and business leaders whose goal is a critical discussion of pressing global issues. The Club of Rome was founded in 1968 at Accademia dei Lincei in Rome, Italy. It consists ...
. By 1993, the Ehrlichs’ perspective has become the consensus view of scientists as represented by the “World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity”. She co-founded the Center for
Conservation Biology Conservation biology is the study of the conservation of nature and of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction and the erosion of biotic interactions. It is an in ...
at
Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is conside ...
with Paul Ehrlich, where she serves as policy coordinator after being an associate director from 1987 on. She served as one of seven outside consultants to the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s Global 2000 Report (1980).


Career

From 1952 to 1955, Anne Ehrlich attended the
University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. T ...
and performed scientific research on
population biology The term population biology has been used with different meanings. In 1971 Edward O. Wilson ''et al''. used the term in the sense of applying mathematical models to population genetics, community ecology, and population dynamics. Alan Hastings u ...
, publishing numerous scientific articles. She begun her scientific collaboration with Paul Ehrlich in the late 1950s through research on butterflies as a test system for answering key questions of biological classification, ecology, and evolution. Since 1987, Anne Ehrlich has worked as associate director and policy coordinator of the Center for Conservation Biology at
Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is conside ...
. In 1994 she received the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...
Sasakawa Environment Prize with Paul Ehrlich and in 1995 they received the 1st Annual
Heinz Award The Heinz Awards are individual achievement honors given annually by the Heinz Family Foundation. The Heinz Awards each year recognize outstanding individuals for their innovative contributions in three areas: the Arts, the Economy and the Enviro ...
in the Environment. In 1994-95, she served on a task group for academics and scientists for the President’s Commission on Sustainable Development. She has served and serves on the board of a wide range of organizations;
Friends of the Earth Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) is an international network of environmental organizations in 73 countries. The organization was founded in 1969 in San Francisco by David Brower, Donald Aitken and Gary Soucie after Brower's split wi ...
(1976-1985); Conferences on the Fate of the Earth (1981-1984); the Center for Innovative Diplomacy (1981-92); Redefining Progress (1994-96), the Ploughshares Fund (1990-2003) and the
Sierra Club The Sierra Club is an environmental organization with chapters in all 50 United States, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The club was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by Scottish-American preservationist John Muir, who b ...
(1996-2002). She chaired the Sierra Club's Committee on Military Impacts on the Environment from 1985 to 1994. Until 2003 she sat on the board of advisors for the Federation for American Immigration Reform. For ten years she has been member of the Board of directors at the Center for Innovative Diplomacy, Pacific Institute,
Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (also known by its acronym RMBL — pronounced 'rumble') is a high-altitude biological field station located near Crested Butte, in the abandoned mining town of Gothic, Colorado in the West Elk Mountains. T ...
(1989-1999). Until 2003 she sat on the board of advisors for the Federation for American Immigration Reform. she serves on the board of the Pacific Institute for Studies in Environment, Development, and Security and as of 2002 of the New-Land Foundation. Ehrlich is involved in the Millennium Assessment of Human Behavior (MAHB) which she co-founded with husband Paul and Professor Donald Kennedy. From 1994 on she's publishing a series of newsletters titled “Ecofables/Ecoscience,” using science to debunk myths about humans’ relationship to the environment.


Personal life

Ehrlich was born in
Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moine ...
, the daughter of Virginia Lippincott (Fitzhugh) Howland and Winston Densmore. Throughout her childhood she was fascinated by nature, preferring to be outside learning about wildflowers and geography. As a teenager she read
Our Plundered Planet ''Our Plundered Planet'' is a book published in 1948 by Fairfield Osborn about environmental destruction by humankind. With a focus on soil, the book is a critique of humankind's poor stewardship of Earth. It typifies the earliest apocalyptic en ...
by Fairfield Osborn,
Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
professor of
zoology Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, an ...
, member of the wildlife conservation organization
Boone and Crockett Club The Boone and Crockett Club is an American nonprofit organization that advocates fair chase hunting in support of habitat conservation. The club is North America's oldest wildlife and habitat conservation organization, founded in the United Sta ...
and fossile collector. She was influenced by his critique of humankind's poor
stewardship Stewardship is an ethical value that embodies the responsible planning and management of resources. The concepts of stewardship can be applied to the environment and nature, economics, health, property, information, theology, cultural resources e ...
of Earth and it's environmental destruction by humans. She married Paul R. Ehrlich in 1954, the couple has one daughter, Lisa, born 1955. ''The Population Bomb'' has been devoted to Lisa, ''The Population Explosion'' to their grandchildren.


Writings


''The Population Bomb'' (1968)

The wordings "the population bomb" have first been used in a widely distributed 1958 pamphlet by advertising professional and entrepreneur Hugh Moore. The original edition of ''The Population Bomb'' began with this statement: The Ehrlichs argued that the human population was too great, and that while the extent of disaster could be mitigated, humanity could not prevent severe famines, the spread of disease, social unrest, and other negative consequences of overpopulation. By the end of the 1970s, this prediction proved to be incorrect. However, they continued to argue that societies must take strong action to decrease population growth in order to mitigate future disasters, both ecological and social.


''The Population Explosion'' (1990)

In their sequel to ''The Population Bomb'', the Ehrlichs purport to describe how the world's growing population dwarfs the Earth's capacity to sustain current living standards and why overpopulation is a number one environmental problem. The book calls for action to confront population growth and the ensuing crisis: While the Ehrlichs concede that consumption and technology must also share the blame for environmental crises, priority should be given to achieving population control as a means of stopping further destruction. “Rapid population growth in poor nations is an important reason they stay poor, and overpopulation in those nations will greatly increase their destructive impact on the environment as they struggle to develop,”.


''Optimum Human Population Size'' (1994)

In this paper, the Ehrlichs discuss their opinion on the 'optimal size' for human population, given current technological realities. They refer to establishing "social policies to influence fertility rates."


''The Stork and the Plow'' (1995)

A well-reasoned book of how poverty forces unsustainable use of natural resources, with proposals how food production might stay ahead of population growth, together with Gretchen C. Daily. The authors look at the interaction between population and food supply and offer a strategy for balancing human numbers with nutritional needs. Their proposals include improving the status of women by giving them equal education, reducing racism and religious prejudice, reforming the agricultural system, and shrinking the growing gap between rich and poor.


''One With Nineveh'' (2005)

The title refers to
Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)'' The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...
's 1897 poem " Recessional", "''Lo, all our pomp of yesterday / Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!''", alluding to the arrogance that went before the fall of historic
Mesopotamian Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the F ...
civilizations. Named a Notable Book for 2005 by the
American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members ...
, Ehrlich offers a lucid synthesis of the major issues of our time: rising consumption, still-growing world population, and unchecked political and economic inequity. Grounded in science, economics, and history, she puts political and environmental debates in a larger context and formulates a range of possible solutions for improving our future prospect, from local actions to reform of national government to international initiatives.


''The Dominant Animal'' (2008)

The Ehrlichs in this popular book explore in an unique way how humans have evolved from vulnerable creatures clawing nourishment from Earth to a sophisticated global society manipulating every inch of it: they have become the dominant animal. They question why we are creating a world that threatens our own species and offer suggestions what can we do to change the current trajectory.


''Can a collapse of global civilization be avoided?'' (2013)

This report reminds of how the collapse of numerous civilizations have, in the past, been caused by the degradation of nature, and how that process in present times makes a global collapse appearing likely. Overpopulation, overconsumption by the rich and poor choices of technologies are major drivers; dramatic cultural change provides the main hope of averting calamity.


Awards and honors

* Raymond B. Bragg Award for Distinguished Service, Honorary Life Member 1985 * Named to Global 500 Roll of Honour for Environmental Achievement, United Nations, 1989 * Honorary Degree Doctor of Law, Bethany College, 1990 * The
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...
Sasakawa Environment Prize (jointly with Paul R. Ehrlich and shared with M.S. Swaminathan), 1994 * The 1st Annual
Heinz Award The Heinz Awards are individual achievement honors given annually by the Heinz Family Foundation. The Heinz Awards each year recognize outstanding individuals for their innovative contributions in three areas: the Arts, the Economy and the Enviro ...
in the Environment (with Paul Ehrlich), 1995 * Nuclear Age Peace Award (with Paul Ehrlich) honored by the
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF) is a non-profit, non-partisan international education and advocacy organization. Founded in 1982, NAPF is composed of individuals and organizations from all over the world. It has consultative status to the ...
of Santa Barbara, California (1996).The awards were presented to them by ocean environmentalist
Jean-Michel Cousteau Jean-Michel Cousteau (born 6 May 1938) is a French oceanographic explorer, environmentalist, educator and film producer. The first son of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, he is the father of Fabien Cousteau and Céline Cousteau. Life and care ...
. * 1998
Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement The Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement is an annual award for environmental science, environmental health, and energy. Tyler Laureates receive a $200,000 cash prize and a medallion. The prize is administered by the University of Southern Cal ...
(with Paul Ehrlich) - The Prize has been awarded for exemplary scientific contributions to understanding the environmental consequences of species extinction, habitat destruction and nuclear war, individually and jointly, and for raising public awareness of and shaping public opinion on resource depletion and environmental degradation. "They were among the first to effectively communicate how to apply science to the solution of society's problems," * Fellow of the American Academy Arts & Sciences,
California Academy of Sciences The California Academy of Sciences is a research institute and natural history museum in San Francisco, California, that is among the largest museums of natural history in the world, housing over 46 million specimens. The Academy began in 1853 ...
(honorary) * Honory Doctorate of Oregon State University, 1999


Bibliography

Selected works, jointly authored with colleague and husband Paul Ehrlich: * '' The Population Bomb: Population Control or Race to Oblivion?'' (1968), New York:
Ballantine Books Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann in 1998 and remains p ...
* ''Population, Resources, Environment: Issues in Human Ecology Second Edition'' (1972) San Francisco: WH Freeman and Company * ''Human Ecology: Problems and Solutions'' (1973) San Francisco: WH Freeman and Company * ''Ecoscience: Population, Resources, Environment"'' (1978), with
John Holdren John Paul Holdren (born in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1944) is an American scientist who served as the senior advisor to President Barack Obama on science and technology issues through his roles as Assistant to the President for Science and ...
, San Francisco: WH Freeman and Company * ''Extinction: The Causes and Consequences of the Disappearance of Species'' (1981), New York:
Random House Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...
* ''Earth'' (1987), New York: Franklin Watts *
The Population Explosion
' (1990),
Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest publi ...
* ''Healing the Planet: Strategies for Resolving the Environmental Crisis'' (1991),
Addison-Wesley Addison-Wesley is an American publisher of textbooks and computer literature. It is an imprint of Pearson PLC, a global publishing and education company. In addition to publishing books, Addison-Wesley also distributes its technical titles throug ...
* ''The Stork and The Plow: The Equity Answer to the Human Dilemma'' (1995) with Gretchen C. Daily, G.P. Putnam's Sons; New Haven, London:
Yale University Press Yale University Press is the university press of Yale University. It was founded in 1908 by George Parmly Day, and became an official department of Yale University in 1961, but it remains financially and operationally autonomous. , Yale Univers ...
* ''Betrayal of Science and Reason: How Anti-Environment Rhetoric Threatens Our Future'' (1998), Washington: Island Press * ''One With Nineveh: Politics, Consumption, and the Human Future'' (2004), Washington: Island Press * ''The Dominant Animal: Human Evolution and the Environment'' (2008), Washington: Island Press
Can a collapse of global civilization be avoided?
A
Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...
Report (2013), London * ''The Annihilation of Nature: Human Extinction of Birds and Mammals'' (2015), with Gerardo Ceballos *
Returning to “Normal”? Evolutionary Roots of the Human Prospect
' (2022, paper), Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere


See also

* Paul R. Ehrlich *
Ecosystem valuation Ecosystem valuation is an economic process which assigns a value (either monetary, biophysical, or other) to an ecosystem and/or its ecosystem services. By quantifying, for example, the human welfare benefits of a forest to reduce flooding and erosi ...


References


External links


Stanford bio/c.v.


* ttps://ccb.stanford.edu/ Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University website
The Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere (MAHB) website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ehrlich, Anne H. 1933 births Living people American biologists American women biologists American ecologists Women ecologists American environmentalists American women environmentalists Sierra Club directors American non-fiction environmental writers Ehrlich, Anne Howland Activists from the San Francisco Bay Area 20th-century American non-fiction writers 21st-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American women writers Women science writers People in public health American women non-fiction writers