"Food security will deteriorate further unless leading countries can collectively mobilize to stabilize population, restrict the use of grain to produce automotive fuel, stabilize climate, stabilize water tables and aquifers, protect cropland, and conserve soils." — Lester Brown, World Facing Huge New Challenge on Food Front
Degrees | Books | E-Series | Magazine | Papers | Monographs | Currently | Formerly | Awards
Literary Awards | Honorary Degrees | Honorary Professorships | Athletic Awards
President and Senior Researcher with Earth Policy Institute, an independent,
non-profit Washington-based research institute focused on building an eco-economy. (2001-2015)
Degrees:
B.S. Rutgers University (Agricultural Science) (1955)
M.S. University of Maryland (Agricultural Economics) (1959)
M.P.A. Harvard University (Public Administration) (1962)
Books:
Man, Land and Food (1963)
Increasing World Food Output (1965)
Seeds of Change (1970)
Man and His Environment: Food (with Gail Finsterbusch) (1972)
World Without Borders (1972)
In the Human Interest (1974)
By Bread Alone (with Erik Eckholm) (1974)
The Twenty-Ninth Day (1978)
Running on Empty (with Colin Norman & Christopher Flavin) (1979)
Building a Sustainable Society (1981)
The World Watch Reader (edited by Lester Brown) (1991)
Saving the Planet (with Christopher Flavin & Sandra Postel) (1991)
Full House: Reassessing the Earth's Population Carrying Capacity (with Hal Kane) (1994)
Who Will Feed China? Wake-Up Call for a Small Planet (1995)
Tough Choices: Facing the Challenge of Food Scarcity (1996)
Eko Kezai Kakume: Environmental Trends Reshaping The Global Economy (1998)
The World Watch Reader (edited by Lester Brown and Ed Ayres) (1998)
Beyond Malthus: Nineteen Dimensions of the Population Challenge (with Gary Gardner
and Brian Halweil) (1999)
Eco-Economy: Building an Economy for the Earth (2001)
The Earth Policy Reader (with Janet Larsen and Bernie Fischlowitz-Roberts) (2002)
La Plus Belle Histoire de la Terre (2001) (with Andre Brahic, Paul Tapponnier, and Jacque Girardon) (2001)
Plan B: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble (2003)
Outgrowing the Earth: The Food Security Challenge in an Age of Falling Water Tables
and Rising Temperatures (2005)
Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble (2006)
Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization (2008)
Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization (2009)
World on the Edge: How to Prevent Environmental and Economic Collapse (2011)
Full Planet, Empty Plates: The New Geopolitics of Food Scarcity (2012)
Breaking New Ground: A Personal History (2013)
The Great Transition: Shifting from Fossil Fuels to Solar and Wind Energy (with Janet Larsen, J. Matthew Roney, and Emily E. Adams) (2015)
Book Series:
State of the World, annual 1984-2001 (project director and senior author)
Vital Signs: The Trends That Are Shaping Our Future, annual 1992-2001 (project
director and senior author)
Environmental Alert Series, 1991-2001
E-Series:
Eco-Economy Updates, May 2001- (see Plan B Updates)
Worldwatch Issue Alerts, May 2000-February 2001
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Magazine:
Publisher & Founder, World Watch Jan/Feb 1988-Mar/Apr 2001, bimonthly
Author of numerous articles
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“Worldwatch The Politics and Responsibility of the North American Breadbasket”
“Twenty-Two Dimensions of the Population Problem” (with Patricia McGrath and Bruce Stokes)
“World Population Trends: Signs of Hope, Signs of Stress”
“Spreading Deserts: The Hand of Man” (with Erik Eckholm)
“Redefining National Security”
“The Global Economic Prospect”
“The Worldwide Loss of Cropland”
“Resource Trends and Population Policy: A Time for Reassessment
The Future of the Automobile in an Oil-Short World” (with Christopher Flavin)
“Food or Fuel: New Competition for the World’s Cropland
Six Steps to a Sustainable Society” (with Pamela Shaw)
“U.S. and Soviet Agriculture: The Shifting Balance of Power”
“Population Policies for a New Economic Era”
“Soil Erosion: Quiet Crisis in the World Economy” (with Edward Wolf)
“Reversing Africa’s Decline” (with Edward Wolf)
“Our Demographically Divided World” (with Jodi L. Jacobson)
“The Future of Urbanization: Facing the Ecological and Economic Constraints” (with Jodi L. Jacobson)
“The Changing World Food Prospect: The Nineties and Beyond”
“The Agricultural Link: How Environmental Deterioration Could Disrupt Economic Progress”
“Beyond Malthus: Sixteen Dimensions of the Population Problem” (with Gary Gardner and Brian Halweil)
Monographs:
The Japanese Agricultural Economy (1961)
An Economic Analysis of Far Eastern Agriculture (1962)
The Social Impact of the Green Revolution (1971)
The Interdependence of Nations (1972)
The Global Politics of Resource Scarcity (1974)
Our Daily Bread (1975)
Human Needs and the Security of Nations (1978)
Founder, President and Senior Researcher, Earth Policy Institute
Member, Cosmos Club
Advisory Board, Center for a New American Dream
National Advisory Board, Population Connection
Fellow, World Business Academy
Advisory Committee, Ecology Channel
Director, Japan for Sustainability
Honorary Advisor, The Institute for Environmental Culture (Japan)
Advisor, Earth Focus, World Link TV's environmental news program
Member, Global Advisory Board, The Globalist
Advisory Council Member, Global Footprint Network
Advisory Board, Friends of the Earth
Honorary Member, Romanian Academy of Sciences
Honorary Advisor, National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Japan
Editorial Board, Solutions: Whole Systems Design for a Sustainable and Desirable Future
Advisory Board, International Fund for China’s Environment
Advisory Council, Child Honoring (founded by Raffi Cavoukian)
Advisory Board member, EcoWatch
Honorary Advisor, Berkshire Publishing
Member, Earthjustice Council
Honorary Member, Romanian Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences
Member, Earth Day Legacy Committee
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International Agricultural Analyst: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1958-69
Adviser to the Secretary: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1965-69
Administrator, International Agricultural Development Service, 1966-69
Senior Fellow: Overseas Development Council, 1969-74
Faculty Member, Salzburg Seminar in American Studies, 1971, 1974
President, Worldwatch Institute, 1974-2000
U.S. Department of Agriculture Superior Service Award, 1965
Arthur S. Fleming Award, "The Ten Outstanding Young Men in Federal Service," 1965
Who's Who
U.S. Jaycees, Ten Outstanding Young Men in America, 1966
Rutgers University, Cook College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, George Hammell Cook Distinguished Service Award, 1976
National Wildlife Federation Special Conservation Award, 1982
UNEP Environmental Leadership Medal, 1982
Lorax Award, Global Tomorrow Coalition, 1985
MacArthur Fellow, John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, 1986 - 1991
United Nations Environment Prize, 1987
Gold Medal - Worldwide Fund for Nature, 1989
Rutgers Hall of Fame, 1990
A. Bizzozero Award, University of Parma, 1991
Humanist of the Year, The American Humanist Association, 1991
Windstar Foundation Award, 1991
Gold Medal - Pro Mundo Habitabili award of King Carl XVI Gustaf, Sweden, 1991 (awarded by the Swedish Academy of Sciences)
Delphi International Cooperation award, 1991
CerviaAmbiente Prize, Italy, 1992
Robert Rodale Lecture award, 1992
Environmentalist of the Year, Tokyo Jaycees, 1992
Cover feature in Current Biography, 1993
Certificate of Special Recognition, Association of American Geographers, 1993
Blue Planet Prize, Asahi Glass Foundation, 1994
J. Sterling Morton Arbor Day Award, 1995
Selected as one of 50 Great Americans by Marquis Who's Who, 1995
Public Service Award, Federation of American Scientists, 1995
Distinguished Achievement Award, Helyar House Alumni Assoc., Rutgers Univ., 1995
Selected as one of the "100 Who Made a Difference" by The Earth Times, 1995
1995 Utne Visionary, Utne Reader, 1995
Lewis Mumford Award for Development, 1996
Selected as one of Audubon Society’s “100 Champions of Conservation,” 1998
Award from Circulo de Periodismo Cientifico de Venezuela, 1999
Rachel Carson Environmental Achievement Award from National Nutritional Foods Association, 2000
People of the Century, chosen by The Daily Journal, New Jersey, 2000
100 Notable Alumni, University of Maryland, 2000
Bruno H. Schubert Foundation environmental award, 2001 (Germany)
Natural Business Leadership Award, 2002
Excellence Advisory Award, International Fund for China’s Environment, 2002
Presidential Medal, Italy, 2003
One of the 500 Most Influential People in the United States in Foreign Policy, World Affairs Council of America, 2003
Georg and Greta Borgström Prize, Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, 2005
Claire Matzger Lilienthal Distinguished Lecturer, California Academy of Sciences, 2005
One of the 30 Global Visionaries, Planet magazine, 2005
The Works of Lester R. Brown, permanent exhibit, Cook College, Rutgers University, 2005
Bridgeton High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame, 2005
Heifer All-Star (Heifer International Annual Award), 2008
One of The Plenty 20, Plenty magazine, 2008
Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Award, 2009
Hero Award, Alliance for Sustainable Colorado, 2010
University of Maryland Alumni Hall of Fame, 2010
One of Foreign Policy’s Top 100 Global Thinkers, 2010
One of The Rotarian's 100 Notable Contributors (centennial list), 2011
One of Foreign Policy’s Top 100 Global Thinkers, 2011
Earth Hall of Fame Kyoto, 2012
Green Carpet Award for Distinguished Service, Harvard University, 2012
One of Post Growth Institute’s Top 100 (En)Rich List of inspirational sustainability leaders, 2012
Atlas Award, 2012
Planet and Humanity Award, International Geographical Union, 2012
Green Leadership Award, American Renewable Energy Institute, 2013
Distinguished Service Award, World Future Society, 2014
Lifetime Achievement Award, International Fund for China's Environment, 2015
Christopher Award for By Bread Alone
Ecologia Firenze (Italian literary award) for The Twenty-Ninth Day
A.H. Boerma Award, FAO, for writings on the world food problem
Best Translated Book, award from the Ministry of Culture, Iran, for Full House
Top Ten Book award, TheGlobalist.com, for Eco-Economy
Top Ten Book award, TheGlobalist.com, for Plan B
Best Nonfiction Book award from the Peka Institute, Iran, for Eco-Economy
Book of the Week award, TheGlobalist.com, for Outgrowing the Earth
Book of the Month award, Omnipedia, for Plan B
National Library of China book award for Plan B (Chinese edition)
2014 Green Prize for Sustainable Literature, Santa Monica Public Library, for Breaking New Ground
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Dickinson College, Doctor of Humane Letters (LHD), 1975
University of Maryland, Doctor of Laws (LLD), 1976
Franklin College, Doctor of Humane Letters (LHD), 1977
Williams College, Doctor of Laws (LLD), 1977
Rutgers University, Doctor of Laws (LLD), 1978
Glassboro State College, Doctor of Humanities (LHD), 1979
Tufts University, Doctor of Humane Letters, 1985
Clark University, Doctor of Humanities (LHD), 1988
The College of Wooster, Doctor of Laws (LLD), 1989
Ripon College, Doctor of Humane Letters (LHD), 1990
Otterbein College, Doctor of Humane Letters (LHD), 1990
University of Pisa, Italy, Doctor of Science, 1991
McGill University, Quebec, Canada, Doctor of Science, 1991
Notre Dame, Doctor of Laws (LLD), 1991
Northland College, Doctor of Public Service, 1993
St. Lawrence University, Doctor of Humane Letters (LHD), 1994
Claremont Graduate School, Doctor of Science, 1996
Villanova University, Doctor of Social Science, 1996
Westminster College, Utah, Doctor of Science, 1998
Westminster College, Pennsylvania, Doctor of Science, 2001
University of Connecticut, Doctor of Science, 2001
Ohio State University, Doctor of Science, 2001
Hitotsubashi University, Doctor of Science, 2006
Michigan State University, Doctor of Agriculture, 2006
Bucharest University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Romania, Doctor Honoris Causa, 2010
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Honorary Professorships
University of Shanghai, 2003
Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2005
China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, 2008
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Athletic Awards
Third Place, Men 70-74, Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run, 2004
Third Place, Men 75-79, Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run, 2009 (National Championship)
Second Place, Men 80-89, Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run, 2014 (National Championship)
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