Humanity, Earth and Law in the Third Millennium

Surviving the third millennium will compel humanity to change its use of the natural resources of Planet Earth. To satisfy its needs, humanity depends on the goods and services provided by these resources and it has made ingenious use of them since the dawn of its existence. Increasing demand for goods and services by a growing world population is accompanied by scientific evidence that natural resources are not boundless and that there are limits to growth. Today, humanity is confronted with the degradation of natural resources due to biodiversity loss, climate change, ozone depletion, atmospheric aerosol loading, chemical pollution, biogeochemical flow change, land-use change, ocean acidification, and limited freshwater supply. This series explores the legal aspects of resource degradation and resource management. The publications in this series will contribute to humanity’s quest to find and define a new balance for life on Earth and will include the following topics: managing natural resources of global significance, such as the oceans and polar regions; the risks associated with the introduction of new technologies, such as genetic modification and geo-engineering; and the pillars of sustainable development, such as sustainable use, international equity and intergenerational equity.

Series editor: Professor René Lefeber.