Paul R. Ehrlich passed on March 13, having remained until the end highly productive and making a great contribution to resolving human’s negative impact on the biosphere upon which life depends. He was 93.
Paul was the founder and inspiration for the MAHB, our leader committed to the power of civil society for change. After launching the MAHB in the early 2000s he guided our transitions from social movement, to breaking academic silos, to focusing on encouraging new (beyond the academic) voices in conversations about the human predicament. He believed in you.
A conservation biologist, teacher, professor, prolific author (over 1100 papers and 40 books) usually with his wife (of 72 years) Anne Ehrlich; environmentalist, pilot, traveler, bird watcher and so much more. His early scientific pursuits were as a child fascinated by butterflies which inspired a career in evolutionary biology.
His biography, Life: A Journey Through Science and Politics has many stories of adventure, discovery, learning, media, and his extraordinary life. From a youth in Kansas he became a great influencer of many generations. At times controversial, he fought for us and the future 24/7, never wavering in excellent science, humor, and authenticity.
To honor him, we have included a list of his work that is published on the MAHB site. As commentaries and obituaries are written we will also post them. If you would like to share a memory, reflection, or tribute, we warmly invite you to do so. Your words will help to honor the impact Paul had on so many people and will help keep his spirit of inquiry and commitment alive within the MAHB community.
He changed our lives and millions more. Our job is to continue to engage with knowledge, intelligence, compassion and wisdom in the complex crisis facing humanity.