ALAS invites you to watch the State of the Planet 2010 Conference, where experts and world leaders will talk about key topics for the future development of our planet. You can watch the live webcast this coming Thursday, March 25 at http://www.stateoftheplanet.org/

The State of the Planet conference, held every two years, brings together insights on critical issues from the world’s most influential thinkers and leaders. This year, the Earth Institute, The Economist and Ericsson join forces to bring the conversation to the global community. With broadband access enabled by Ericsson, live events in five cities will be brought together in real time, moderated by Economist journalists. Viewers at home can participate via interactive online tools and discussion boards.

Four major topics are on the table: the science and politics of climate change; healing the world economy in an environmentally sustainable way; the ongoing challenge of ending extreme poverty; and how we can build and strengthen international systems able to deal with continuing crises that span borders.

 Speakers include: 

-          UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon

-          President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa of Mexico

-          Prince Albert II of Monaco

-          Sanjeev Chadha, CEO of Pepsico India

-          Achim Steiner, executive director of the UN Environment Programme

-          Xu Jintao, head of theenvironmental economics program, Peking University

Moderator: Al Jazeera journalist Riz Khan.

Hosts of the event are:

-          Earth Institute director Jeffrey D. Sachs

-          Ericsson president and CEO Hans Vestberg

-          Matthew Bishop, American business editor and New York bureau chief of The Economist.