The South, the North, and the Environment

Six years after the Rio Summit, the international politics of the environment have already become bogged down in a dispute between Southern and Northern states as to who, if anyone, is responsible for environmental degradation. Meanwhile the scientific evidence continues to accumulate and shows that continuing and possibly irreversible changes are already well advanced. The purpose of this book is to give a clear overview of the environmental politics of the South in each of the key problem areas, drawing on first-hand experience of five continents. The conclusion reviews the overall situation, discusses South-North relations and examines both optimistic and pessimistic scenarios for the future. Book jacket.