In the aftermath of the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, the contributors to this volume suggest topical ways to alter the world's course. The keys to reaching a sustainable world, in which the planet is equitably shared among humans and other species, are to consider the impact of our collective actions at longer timescales and to deal head on with the interconnected issues of population pressure, consumption volume and species loss. This volume displays a multidisciplinary and multicultural approach involving both scientific and ethical arguments.