The international landscape of sustainable development has historically been characterized by contrasting priorities between economic growth, environmental preservation, and social equity. This book is a significant contribution to this discourse. Intermingling a variety of perspectives, the volume attempts to illustrate how the countries of the Global South are struggling to implement policies aimed at sustainable development in often difficult settings; discussing its uptake in national policies; clarifying whether legal and institutional frameworks help or hinder these efforts; and considering the implications for good governance and cooperation around the world. Dealing with the implementation of international law with a view to sustainability, the diverse legal and economic environment involved, and the wider importance of trade and investment policies, a salient discussion of environmental constitutionalism is presented, wherein some of the legal frameworks existing in the Global South were adapted to give voice to sustainability principles. The text critically examines issues around development finance and corruption challenges, as well as how public-private partnerships may drive meaningful change.

From the beginning, the book emphasizes the kinds of structural challenges that appear to lead to the repositioning of sustainable development in the South and instead of being defensive or technically driven, the discussions provide a historical and political-economy context for sustainable development. Both editors and contributors unfold persisting inequalities within the Global North and South, beginning with the legacies of colonialism to the contemporary dilemmas of resource access, technology deployment, and financial assistance. This perspective maintains the focus on the immense global power dynamics and thus averts distraction by abstract policy prescriptions. Nevertheless, while the book is detailed in its analysis, there are areas where it could have gone further, such as with an exploration of the role that international financial institutions play in determining development priorities. Although the volume takes account of constraints imposed by global economic structures, a more in-depth interrogation of how these institutions influence national decision-making would have strengthened the work’s argument. Again, while the case studies themselves provide insight, a little more geographic diversity, in particular from the Pacific, would have added to the comparative angle of the book.

This volume makes a significant contribution to sustainable development literature offering an extension and a blend of some previous scholarship on the key debates in international law, environmental governance, and development studies. It complements International Environmental Law and the Global South (Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 2015) by Shawkat Alam et al. and Sustainable Development in International Law (Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2008) by Philippe Sands and Jacqueline Peel, while at the same time presenting new perspectives by placing the Global South’s experiences at the centre. Thus, for the most part, this is a significant and thought-provoking text, which will be of interest among academics, policymakers, and practitioners alike. It is a commendable work especially for its interdisciplinary approach and critical engagement in various sustainability challenges and in understanding the possibilities and limitations of sustainable development in the increasingly complex global landscape.