The World Environment, 1972-92

Discussing such topics as global warming, tropical moist forest destruction, desertification, toxic chemicals and hazardous wastes, energy, transport and problems of poverty and world resource development, this book aims to provide a guide to the world community in the 1990s and beyond.

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Since the establishment of the United National Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1972, the world community's awareness that workable solutions to enviromental problems must be found has grown substantially. The contribution of UNEP to this process has been enormous. Twenty years on in June 1992, the "Earth Summit" (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, marks the birth of UNEP. This book is being published as a contribution to that conference and as a guide to the world community in the 1990s and beyond. It seeks to serve as an invaluable point of reference for all those concerned with environmental issues. It contains chapters on global warming, tropical moist forest destruction, desertification, toxic chemicals and hazardous wastes, energy, transport and problems of poverty and world resource development. Instead of the usual litany of problems restated, responses at national and international level are proposed and discussed.