State of the World 2000 Book

The Worldwatch Institute, highly respected for their in-depth reports, present an incisive global analysis for the turn of the Millennium. Each chapter covers a major area of environmental concern, such as water, power generation or toxic pollution. Deforestation is addressed by focusing on the paper industry, and climate change has no chapter to itself but appears at every turn under other topics. There are also chapters considering social issues such as employment, trade and information technology. This is not a dry academic report, although it is liberally supplied with facts, figures and charts. The emphasis always returns to what can be done to put things right, and the text pushes us to look afresh at longstanding issues. As Lester Brown, the lead author, says: There is no middle path. The challenge is either to build an economy that is sustainable or to stay with our unsustainable economy until it declines. The authors demonstrate the common ground between the environmental agenda and the needs of the world's poor. The rich industrial countries continue to consume beyond their share of the planet's limited resources, while developing countries shoulder more than their share of the resulting problems. The authors manage to remain remarkably upbeat, however, and are quick to applaud encouraging trends or emerging solutions. This book will make both a valuable reference book and inspiring reading for anyone involved in environmental work, who will surely agree that: Saving the planet is not a spectator sport. It is something everyone can participate in. Few activities offer more satisfaction. --Frank PennycookRead More