This book is a joy to read. It describes without bias the myriad factors influencing our current understanding of sustainable development. It is well illustrated with figures, tables and boxes. There is an index and a comprehensive list of references. There is no list of abbreviations.

There are six chapters each preceded by a list of learning outcomes. The first chapter is concerned with definitions of sustainable development. Throughout the book this is explored with particular reference to developing countries. In the second chapter the contemporary global challenges of sustainable development are considered. There are many interesting examples given, including the processing of tar sands in Canada and concerns around water in Pakistan. In the third chapter the actions taken by a number of institutions and organisations to promote more sustainable development are identified. The environmental agenda of the World Bank is given particular emphasis. In Chapters 4 and 5, the challenges of sustainable development in the developing world are considered in both rural and urban contexts. Again, there are many interesting examples, including a description of rural–urban migration in Indonesia, and an assessment of the challenges of slum development in Morocco. In the sixth chapter, progress made towards sustainable development is considered through the field of sustainable development indicators. It is pointed out that many countries are developing and using indicators to monitor their commitments and progress towards sustainable development. Examples of UK government strategy indicators are listed as greenhouse gas emissions, household energy use and road transport.