World Encyclopaedia of Environmental Sustainability, Vols. I-XII/Priya Ranjan Trivedi and Uttam Kumar Singh. New Delhi, Jnanada Prakashan, 2008, 5506 p., ISBN 81-7139-170-7. 

    Contents: Vol. I. Global Sustainable Development: Preface. 1. Agenda for sustainable development. 2. Action plan for sustainable development. 3. Future global sustainable development. 4. Issues of negotiation, accountability, implementation and reorientation in achieving sustainable development. 5. Sustainable development of socio-economic and ecological systems. 

    Vol. II. Biodiversity Conservation and Management: Preface. 6. Biological diversity: an introduction. 7. Biodiversity depletion: issues and options. 8. Biodiversity conservation: global and national efforts. 9. Biotechnology and prospects for biodiversity conservation. 10. CBD and other legal covenants to biodiversity protection. 

    Vol. III. Global Energy Policies and Resources: Preface. 11. Global energy crisis and future outlook. 12. World energy resources: finite and infinite. 13. Energy efficiency, conservation and management. 14. Energy policy, global change and common future.  

    Vol. IV. Green Movements: Preface. 15. Environmental movements: a holistic perspective. 16. Other Green Movements. 17. Indian Green Movements. 18. Global Green Movements. 19. American Green Movements. 20. Environmental Groups. 

    Vol. V. Green and Eco-Philosophy: Preface. 21. Green Philosophy: an introduction. 22. Green Philosophy: a futuristic perspective. 23. Political ecology. 24. International understanding of ecophilosophy. 25. Environmentalism. 

    Vol. VI. Environmental Policies and Perspectives: Preface. 26. National responses to environmental policy. 27. Developed and developing countries perspective to environmental policy. 28. The Earth Summit. 29. Global environmental facility and other funding institutions. 

    Vol. VII. Environmental Disasters: Preface. 30. Land degradation, deforestation and land restoration. 31. Desertification and habitat loss. 32. Desertification, drought and water resource management. 33. Combating desertification: global response and cost involved. 

    Vol. VIII. Island Development and Biodiversity: Preface. 34. An approach to island development. 35. Island development strategy and marine environmental health. 36. Island resource development and biological diversity. 37. Convention on small island. 

    Vol. IX. Fragile Ecosystem Development: Preface. 38. Protected areas, National Parks and their networking. 39. Conserving protected areas: future options. 40. Nature protection: values, ethics and laws. 41. Managing fragile ecosystems. 

    Vol. X. Forest and Wildlife Protection: Preface. 42. Decline of wildlife and its protection. 43. Decline of forests and its protection. 44. Preventing trade in endangered flora and fauna. 45. Other conventions for wildlife and forest conservation. 46. Wildlife and forest conservation: issues and options. 

    Vol. XI. Wilderness Planning and Management: Preface. 47. Wilderness: an introductory debate. 48. Global and national wilderness equivalents. 49. Wilderness management. 50. Wilderness and global nature preservation. 

    Vol. XII. Marine Pollution Control: Preface. 51. Pollution and marine environmental health. 52. Marine and coastal zone utilisation in context of rising sea levels. 53. Protection of marine environment and ocean resources. 54. Institutions and conventions for pollution control. Bibliography. Index. 

    "The term "Sustainable Development" was brought into common use by the World Commission on Environment and Development (The Brundtland Commission) in its 1987 Report "Our Common Future". The idea of sustaining the earth has proved a powerful metaphor in raising public awareness and focusing on the need for better environmental stewardship. 

    The Brundtland Commission's definition of the term "meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generation"--is strongly endorsed by this Report. We also believe, with the Brundtland Commission, that meeting the needs of the poor in this generation is an essential aspect of sustainably meeting the needs of subsequent generations. There is no difference between the goals of development policy and appropriate environmental protection. Both much be designed to improve welfare.

    Making the concept of sustainability precise, however, has proved difficult. It is not plausible to argue that all natural resources should be preserved. Successful development will inevitably involve some amount of land clearing, oil drilling, river damming, and swamp draining.  Some have argued that natural capital should be preserved in some aggregate sense, with losses in one area replenished elsewhere. This approach has helpfully focused attention on the need to estimate the value of environmental resources and on the importance of protecting certain essential ecological systems.

    It is in this context that World Encyclopaedia of Environmental Sustainability has been brought out by The Global Open University, Nagaland with a view to catering to the growing needs of the efforts towards a sustainable society and a sustainable world. Different volumes of World Encyclopaedia deals with global sustainable development, biodiversity conservation and management, global energy policies and resources, green movements, green and eco philosophy, environmental policies and perspectives, environmental disasters, island development, fragile ecosystems, wildlife protection, wilderness planning and management, marine pollution control etc.

    The World Encyclopaedia of Environmental Sustainability is being presented to meet the demands of the readers trying to research on environment, development and sustainability issues. This encyclopaedia will be of great help for the students in sustainable development besides the policy makers of public and private sector units." (jacket)

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