Interdisciplinary Research
 Minnesota 2050: Pathways to a Sustainable Future Project
The Minnesota 2050 project is an integrated research project designed to contemplate the environmental future of our state. This unique project, modeled to some extent on the United Nations’ Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, is using both quantitative analysis and modeling of major trends impacting the environment, as well as qualitative envisioning of possible future environmental scenarios.
The quantitative analysis conducted by the research team will focus on several areas critical to sustainability:
- patterns of energy use;
- built environment (housing, transportation etc); and
- food and fiber production.
This data and analysis will be used to develop a Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan for the Legislative and Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
The trends analysis and information from the scenarios workshops also will be integrated in an effort to generate an Ecological Footprint (EF) for the state of Minnesota currently and under different future scenarios. The EF quantifies how much land is needed to support a person or society in terms of food and fuel production and waste disposal.
During the next three years, the Sustainability Initiative
will work in partnership with other University groups, such as the Institute on the Environment and the Center
for Sustainable Building Research, as well as with the Regional
Sustainable Development Partnership, the Minnesota Conservation Plan, and other state-wide organizations
to complete this project.
Click here to read a recent article about the research.
Past Projects
In partnership with the Initiative for Renewable Energy and the
Environment (IREE), we successfully implemented our first project. Dr. Stephen Polasky, Fessler-Lambert Chair of Environmental
Economics, researchers Clarence Lehman and Joseph Fargione
and with the Cedar Creek Long-Term Ecological Research program assessed the economic value of certain essential natural services.
This important work resulted in, among other things, the publication of an article detailing the true costs and benefits of ethanol production, entitled Environmental, economic, and energetic costs and benefits of biodiesel and ethanol biofuels. (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences vol. 103 (30): 11206-11210), This article garnered significant attention in the academic literature and the national news media as well.
Check back with this website or with the Sustainability Initiative office
for updates on the progress of these exciting research efforts!
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