ABSTRACT
This introductory chapter explains why the study of regional environmental agreements and processes is important. It defines the kinds of regions, the kinds of environments and the kinds of agreements and processes that this book focuses on. It also features a historical sketch of the emergence and evolution of regional environmental agreements and processes since the 19th century, with a focus on rivers, seas, oceans, mountains and forests, as well as on types of ecoregions that have failed so far to produce regional environmental agreements and processes.
