This study explores the relationship between changes in the environment of the Southern Hemisphere, and the wider economic and political context of North/South relations. It examines the principle of sustainable development within the context of decision-making in Africa, Asia and Latin America and looks at ways in which the agenda of the 1992 Earth Summit can have a practical application in policy terms. It examines the trade-off between economic goals and mechanisms, and their effect on the ecological systems which underpin human existence.
