MEDIA ADVISORY: Thomas Friedman Presents <i>Hot, Flat and Crowded</i> at Wilson Center

WASHINGTON—Thomas Friedman's new book, Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution—and How It Can Renew America, brings a fresh outlook to the crises of destabilizing climate change, rising competition for energy, and rapid population growth. Plagued by inaction, the United States and the rest of the world have watched as "global warming, the stunning rise of middle classes all over the world, and rapid population growth have converged in a way that could make our planet dangerously unstable," writes Friedman.

Yet undergirding Friedman's book is his sense of optimism that renewed American leadership on energy conservation, population, and multilateral cooperation—what he calls "Geo-Greenism"—could not only stave off the worst climate change scenarios but also bolster America's economy and flagging global reputation. Friedman sets out the clean-technology breakthroughs the world will need; shows that the energy technology revolution will be both transformative and disruptive; and explains why America must lead this revolution—with the first Green President and a Green New Deal, spurred by the Greenest Generation.

Whether you defend or challenge Friedman's perspective, Hot, Flat, and Crowded is certain to become a lightning rod in the debates over climate change, energy, and environmental security.

RSVP/Live Webcast.

What: Book Presentation—Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution—and How It Can Renew America

Who: Thomas L. Friedman, author and New York Times columnist

When: September 29, 2008, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Cameras must be in place by 9:45 a.m.

Where: Atrium Hall, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, located at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. There will be books on sale, and a signing will follow the presentation.

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is the living, national memorial to President Wilson established by Congress in 1968 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. It is a nonpartisan institution, supported by public and private funds, engaged in the study of national and world affairs. The Center establishes and maintains a neutral forum for free, open, and informed dialogue.

Since 1994, the Wilson Center's Environmental Change and Security Program has explored the connections among environmental challenges and their links to conflict and security.