Sharing the World

This book describes the global challenges of the 21st century. Moving forward from the ecological crisis, it examines the relationship between over-consumption and declining quality of life in the industrialized countries, and poverty and structural inequality in opportunities for development. The book explores an innovative approach based on the concept of a fair distribution of environmental space. This is both a development philosophy and a measurement system which encompasses the diverse economic and social needs of South and North. Drawing on research in 38 countries it gives a shared, 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 intended to challenge all countries and peoples to consider and evaluate the environmental space approach, and to join in a pro-active movement towards sustainable production and consumption for the 21st century. It will be required reading for students on environmental economics and development courses, as well as the interested general reader.