Human development and the environment : challenges for the United Nations in the new millennium

Format:

Book

Conference/Event

Author/Creator:

Ginkel, J. A. van.

Contributor:

Barrett, Brendan.

Court, Julius.

Conference Name:

United Nations University Conference 'On the Threshold of the New Millennium' (2000 : United Nations University)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United Nations--Congresses.

United Nations.

Human ecology--Congresses.

Social problems--Congresses.

Human ecology.

Social problems.

Local Subjects:

Human ecology--Congresses.

Social problems--Congresses.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (325 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Geneva : United Nations University Press, 2001.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The new millennium sees humankind living in a vastly more complex, inter-linked and mutually dependent world. There are increasing numbers of participants in world affairs today, as private and public nonstate actors jostle alongside national governments in setting and implementing an ever more crowded agenda. This situation is throwing up new challenges --in the fields of security, governance, development and environment --and will require innovative thinking and new forms of global governance. In this period of transition, the UN is the focus of many people's hopes and aspirations. This book looks at the problems, processes, and actors that will have a major role in human development and the environment in the new millennium. It charts some of the significant trends affecting human development: globalization; population; urbanization; poverty; equity; education; health; climate change; biodiversity; desertification; international cooperation and institutions. The book outlines productive ways in which the international community and the UN system can address the major challenges of eradicating poverty and reducing the rate of environmental deterioration. The authors conclude that among the existing global institutions, only the UN has the moral legitimacy, global credibility, and practical reach to mediate and reconcile the competing pulls and tensions associated with both the process and outcomes of globalization.

Contents:

""Contents""; ""Tables and figures""; ""Reflections on human development and the environment""; ""Human development""; ""Conceptual challenges of a globalizing economy""; ""Into the twenty-first century: Assessing social and political concerns""; ""Prospects for accelerating human development n the twenty-first century""; ""Poverty and inequality in the era of liberalization and globalization""; ""The future of technology and the implications for society and the UN system""; ""Population - A global challenge for the twenty-first century""

""Institutions, corruption, and development nd their ramifications for international cooperation""""Future of global economic governance""; ""Environment""; ""� UrbanizationK industrializationK and sustainable development""; "" Water in our future""; ""The importance of tropical atmospheric chemistry in global change research""; ""Energy requirements for he new millennium""; ""Global food security for tomorrow""; ""Land degradation: A global and regional problem""; ""Global governance of biological diversity""

""International environmental governance - Its impact on social and human development""""Acronyms""; ""Contributors""; ""Index""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

ISBN:

92-808-7031-9

0-585-43417-4