Sharing the World ‐‐ Sustainable Living and Global Equity in the 21st Century

Citation

Tahir, F. (1999), "Sharing the World ‐‐ Sustainable Living and Global Equity in the 21st Century", Environmental Management and Health, Vol. 10 No. 5, pp. 59-60. https://doi.org/10.1108/emh.1999.10.5.59.6

This book describes the global challenges of the twenty‐first century. Moving forward from the ecological crisis, it examines the relationship between over‐consumption and declining quality of life in the industrialised countries, and poverty and structural inequality in opportunities for development.

An innovative approach based on the concept of a fair distribution of environmental space is tried here. The authors have tried to combine both a development philosophy and a measurement system which encompasses the diverse economic and social needs of South and North. Drawing on reseach in 38 countries it offers a shared, often equitable basis for global development and an agenda to achieve sustainable production and consumption by the year 2050.

The environmental space approach helps us understand the advantages and limitations of the global market economy as a tool of development, and gives us the means to alter it to achieve genuine quality of life as the main objective of policy, rather than simple economic growth. The book is no doubt intended to challenge all countries and peoples to consider and evaluate the environmental space approach, and to join in a proactive movement towards sustainable production and consumption for the twenty‐first century.

A good publication, which will make good reading for students on environmental economics and development courses, as well as the interested general reader.