Global Environment in the Twenty First Century English 2004

The book examines the roles of different actors in the formulations of international and national environment policy. It starts from the premise that while cooperation among nation states has proved to be necessary to address many transboundary environmental issues, virtually all policies must be implemented at the national or local level. The growing interaction between national and international actors and levels of governance is an important aspect of international environmental policy. At the international level, the United Nations is perhaps the best place to advise governments on policy-making and assess the state of the global environment, and initiate the development of new treaties, policies and institutions. The UN is also an arena where various national, sub-national and global actors manoeuver; where the "local" can interact with the "global". While the UN is often seen as an arena for states to cooperate, in reality there are numerous non-state actors that also participate in UN policies, including non-governmental, regional and other international organizations. With this mind, the authors examine the roles of state and non-state actors in safeguarding the environment and advancing sustainable development into the twenty-first century. (Published in arrangement with the United Nations University Press)