A new world-wide initiative, Mathematics of Planet Earth 2013, will tackle global issues such as natural disasters and sustainability. Mathematicians will dedicate the year 2013 to researching and finding solutions for problems plaguing our world. Another major objective of the project is to inform the public of the relevance of math in modern calamities. Read more about MPE2013 here. Check the website for upcoming events and discoveries. The United States launch of this initiative is this week at the Joint Math Meeting in San Diego, California.