Book Review

by Paul Ganderton

UNEP. 1999. Global Environment Outlook Earthscan; Pages: xxx + 398; ISBN: 1 85383 588 9; £20.00

Contents

1- Global Perspectives; 2 - The State of the Environment; 3 - Policy Responses; 4 - Future Perspectives; 5 - Outlook and Recommendations.

Summary

See description of this table.

Age range
Presentation/style
Content
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Overall ranking

Review

In the past, when environmental data were hard to find a few yearbooks such as the World Bank Development Report was all that there was. Today, ironically, the amount of data is so large that it is getting increasingly difficult to find what you want. For teaching and general overviews, yearbooks are the way to go and there are several excellent ones on the market. However, there are still large gaps to be filled. One of these is the technical overview of the major players i.e. the United Nations Environment Programme. In this book we are presented with an overview of the environment both as it sees it and, more importantly, as it records it. Leaving aside the benchmark UNEP World Environment Report 1972-1992 and GEO-1 (1997) this is the latest global offering. It differs from the competition in many ways: it is produced by collating reports from a global team of 850; it is the major vehicle for the UNEPs Global Environment Outlook Project and it concentrates on regions rather than issues - all of which gives it an authoritative edge. The report opens by discussing the project, the problems of data gathering (an excellent synthesis) and providing the reader with a synthesis of the book. The opening chapter examines the main constraints on environmental action from social and political to transport. A huge second chapter looks at global issues starting with an overview of the main world problems (both natural and human-induced) and continuing with a standardised examination of each of GEO 2000s 7 regions. This is mirrored in chapter 3 with a detailed study of policy responses - again starting with a global overview and then working systematically through the regions. The final two brief chapters consider the likely future perspectives and the UNEPs recommendations.

Copious data tables and graphs provide as much data as anyone is likely to need at a global overview level. Diagrams in muted colours can be hard to see but, coupled with a clear, well-written text the reader is provided with an outstanding review. A definite for the library shelves.