ABSTRACT
Sustainable development is a formidable challenge for the 21st century. The concept implies a balance between environmental protection and economic development that is unlikely to be reached until society is reorganized along different lines. The list of environmental problems that we currently face includes climate change, biodiversity loss, collapsing fish stocks and persistent organic pollutants. It is likely that more problems like these will emerge in the future. Famine and poverty, and health challenges such as malaria and HIV-AIDs, are amongst the most pressing development problems. Economic growth and higher standards of living are part of the solution but many developing countries are being left behind as others get richer.
