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The emerging needs and constraints of globalisation profoundly illustrate the necessity for rigorous inquiry into the opportunities and challenges ahead. A range of problems are confronting humanity and are affecting the development of national states, economic markets and local communities throughout the world. Increasingly, with information and communication technologies empowering individuals everywhere, humanity’s future rests with new models of thought, action, communication and participation. A millennium vision in policy – biopolicy – can guarantee the continuity of bios (life) on our planet and lead society to a harmonious future.

To alleviate regional conflicts and reconcile environmental harmony and economic growth, environmentally-sound policies in industry, energy, transport, agriculture and regional development must be emphasised. In order to be successful, however, these policies have to be based on a framework of environmental ethics, including a reassessment of current assumptions with a view to a global appreciation of bios. A vision beyond sustainable development can increase our options and provide the necessary incentives to move ahead and explore possibilities leading to more just and safe global management.

Through its groundbreaking work in 130 countries, B.I.O. has significantly contributed to the enrichment of sustainable development with new concepts and has promoted biopolicy and environmental thinking among decision-makers and policy-formers around the world. Biopolicy is an issue extensively covered by all B.I.O. international conferences, and major articles and contributions appear in all of our publications, textbooks and periodicals. A comprehensive chapter on “Bio-Policy” is published in Bio-Syllabus for European Environmental Education, an 880-page textbook available in print and electronically (CD-Rom). Based on this pioneering material is B.I.O.’s e-learning course on “Bio-Policy,” which will soon be available online as part of our e-learning programme in environmental education. For her leading contribution in the field, the B.I.O. President received the 2004 Biopolicy Award by the Royal Swedish Academy of Science