Priorities for a sustainable civilization

What are the vital issues facing humankind? It appears that many of today's relevant issues are too big to be understood by knowledge from a single discipline, that they reach beyond the boundaries of individual nations, and that they last for many generations. Who can address these issues? Most political systems have a 5 year time horizon, and focus on national concerns. Our traditionally specialized, discipline oriented education is narrow, and fails us in coping with 'wide' problems. Can we find universal knowledge tools that match today's complex problems? Can we develop a wide-angle scientific world view to see the whole? An inventory of some of the Earth's essential resources is presented on a per capita basis. The processes of change are analyzed with respect to long-term sustainability. The major problems facing humankind are listed, and ordered according to priority. Several scenarios are sketched. Goals and means of action are suggested. Ethical and educational issues arising from the need for solutions are discussed.