From Bogotá to Beijing

Book excerpt: In two interwoven trips around the globe—one in 2010 and another in 2030—this book discovers Bogotá, Cartagena, Detroit, New York, Abuja, Cairo, Dammam, Abu Dhabi, Marseille, Hanover, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, Shenzhen, Beijing, and other cities along the way. The people and experiences along the way tell a fascinating, unique and insightful story. The 2010 trip at the height of globalization takes place against a backdrop of frenzied global development. As he travels, the author observes the pronounced social and environmental footprint of the societies he visits, the industries that support them, and the people he meets. The 2030 trip, which follows a similar flight path, occurs in a new world. On this trip the author discovers how governments, businesses and consumers are aligned around renewable energy, environmental and aesthetic balance, and respect for self, others, and the planet. A retrospective, written in 2050, explains how a different way of thinking about growth and measuring progress enabled the shift to occur. It explains how the world passed a “tipping point” and became both prosperous and sustainable. This book is charming and fun, while laying out a vision for a new era beyond globalization as we know it. Its inspirational message about the importance of respecting the planet and our global neighbors while fulfilling our appetite for growth and wealth will endure.