This work starts with an assumption that Earth's environment is in rapid decline and that we need to take a serious look at the factors that may play into this decline. It is intended to be a starting point for discussion on a sustainable future for our planet.
This work consists of 68 chapters which are divided into seven parts with several chapters in each part. Part One talks of concepts and definitions with chapters that discuss consumerism, environment and nature, inclusive development, etc. Part Two discusses theories and methods including chapters on cost-benefit analysis, deep ecology, etc. Part Three is entitled actors (not the Hollywood type) including chapters on topics such as civil society, European Union, media, private sector, religious movements, states, etc. Part Four is institutions which includes chapters on clubs, mega-conferences, public-private partnerships, regimes and more. Part Five is called issue areas. There are chapters on air pollution, the Artic, chemicals, climate change, etc. Part Six examines cross-cutting questions and emerging topics such as the green economy, institutional fragmentation and millennium development goals and sustainable development goals. The last part discusses borders and interlinkages which include such topics as agriculture, food, health, poverty, security and trade. If the division into parts seems confusing, the editors have included an alphabetical listing of the chapters as well as a listing of the figures and tables throughout the work. There is also a detailed index at the end of the volume.
The chapters are written by academic professors from around the world at some of the world's leading universities. Each chapter has the same structure. Each starts with definitions, followed by key concepts, then key findings and finally an outlook. There is then, in most chapters, a list of acronyms, which is extremely useful for the reader, then the references followed by further recommended literature.
The writing is sometimes dense but the chapters are thought provoking and should generate a lot of discussion. The editors hope that this will be an essential reference. They hope even more that it soon will become unnecessary because we, as world inhabitants, will make the changes necessary to live more sustainably.
