Former President Joshua Johnson is found dead face down in the water off the boat dock of his lakeshore home. The case looks simple enough - probably a heart attack. Special Agent Derrick Bone is called in to investigate, but he's suspicious. Just a month before, the former president's annual physical reported he was in perfect health.

Prior to his death, Johnson had generated a number of enemies. Over the preceding eighteen months, he led the charge for major changes in global environmental policy, going so far as to suggest a Template for worldwide sustainability. This roused the anger of those opposed to environmental reforms.

Meanwhile, the world is overwhelmed by a rising tide of natural disasters. Droughts, plagues, and tsunamis rock modern civilization. But what do these tragedies have to do with the death of a former president? Written as a parable, The Template portrays the possible future of our planet, framed within a murder investigation and explores alternatives to the crises that come with climate change.