An examination of humanity's quest for sustainable development over the last millennium, Gillespie's well-timed work asks what economic, social, and environmental stars must be aligned for humanity, and its ecosystems, to survive.

1: Introduction 2: Prior to the Industrial Revolution 3: The Nineteenth Century 4: The First Half of the Twentieth Century 5: Between the Second World War and 1970 6: From 1970 to 1990 7: Nineteen Nineties 8: The Twenty-First Century: The Economic and Social Context 9: The Twenty-First Century: Environment 10: Conclusion

Gives a detailed evaluation of the last one hundred years of environmental law, as well as discussing the medieval period and the build up to the twentieth century Debates how humanity could achieve the goal of sustainable development Offers close analysis of factors such as population growth, habitat and species loss, unsustainable fishing, and alternative energy sources

Alexander Gillespie is Professor of International Law at the University of Waikato, and Rapporteur for the World Heritage Convention. He is author of several books, and has been awarded a Rotary International Scholarship, Fulbright Fellowship, Rockerfeller Fellowship, and the New Zealand Law Foundation International Research Fellowship. Gillespie has also been the lawyer/expert on a number of international delegations and advised the New Zealand government on multiple matters of international concern. Gillespie was the first New Zealander to be named Rapporteur for the World Heritage Convention, involving international environmental diplomacy under the auspices of UNESCO. Gillespie has also been engaged in policy formation for the United Nations, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and governmental, commercial, and non-governmental organizations in New Zealand, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Ireland and Switzerland.

Gives a detailed evaluation of the last one hundred years of environmental law, as well as discussing the medieval period and the build up to the twentieth century Debates how humanity could achieve the goal of sustainable development Offers close analysis of factors such as population growth, habitat and species loss, unsustainable fishing, and alternative energy sources