The Aspen Institute and National Geographic announce that registration is open to the public for the 2011 Aspen Environment Forum. From May 30-June 2, 2011, more than 400 high-level speakers and committed voices from a wide range of perspectives - business, government, academia, and non-governmental organizations - will gather on the Institute's signature campus in Aspen, Colo., to explore how to reconcile the ever-expanding needs of a global population of 7 billion with the Earth's finite resources.

Notable speakers confirmed to date include:

• Jeff Bingaman, United States Senator, New Mexico
• Stewart Brand, Co-Founder and Author, Whole Earth Discipline, The Long Now Foundation and Global Business Network
• Martha Johnson, Administrator, General Service Administration (GSA)
• Thomas Lovejoy, Biodiversity Chair, Heinz Center
• Bill McKibben, Author, Educator, and Environmentalist, Middlebury College
• Lynn Scarlett, Senior Environmental Policy Analyst, Resources for the Future; former Deputy Secretary, US Department of the Interior
• Daniel Nocera, The Henry Dreyfus Professor of Energy and Professor of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"In the spirit of the Aspen Institute, we're seeking to create an extraordinarily rich exchange that challenges people to move away from cultural and political stereotypes in talking about the environment and its many complexities," said David Monsma, executive director of the Institute's Energy and Environment program. "We want people to leave this forum with actionable ideas for creating long-term, equitable sustainability across a variety of interconnected issues, including energy, environmental conservation, and climate change adaptation and management."

"National Geographic has a longstanding commitment to observing and reporting on the intersection of people and the environment. This year, the magazine launched a yearlong series on population, '7 Billion,' designed to engender a deeper understanding and engagement around the topic, and we are very excited to see where the conversation at the Aspen Environment Forum takes this important subject," said Chris Johns, editor in chief of National Geographic magazine.

To register for the forum, visit www.aspenenvironment.org. General forum passes are available for $1,500, and passes for nonprofit or government employees, university faculty and students, and international guests are available for the reduced rate of $1,200. Group discounts are also available.

This year's Aspen Environment Forum sponsors include Duke Energy, DuPont, and Shell. Select sponsorship opportunities are still available; for more information, contact Andrea Browne-Phillips, Assistant Director, Aspen Environment Forum, the Aspen Institute, (202) 736-3846, abp@aspeninst.org or Robert Amberg, National Geographic National Brand Director, (212) 610-5511, ramberg@ngs.org.

Daily video highlights from the Environment Forum will be posted at www.aspeninstitute.org, and event updates will be featured on Twitter under #aef2011 and www.facebook.com/AspenInstitute.

EDITORS' NOTE: A limited number of press passes are available. For more information and to apply, please visit https://aspeninstitute.wufoo.com/forms/aspen-environment-forum-press-registration/.

The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 375 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,200 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

The Aspen Institute mission is twofold: to foster values-based leadership, encouraging individuals to reflect on the ideals and ideas that define a good society, and to provide a neutral and balanced venue for discussing and acting on critical issues. The Aspen Institute does this primarily in four ways: seminars, young-leader fellowships around the globe, policy programs, and public conferences and events. The Institute is based in Washington, DC, Aspen, CO, and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore and has an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

Aspen Institute

Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute has campuses in Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also maintains offices in New York City and has an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org or follow on Twitter @AspenInstitute.

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