THE PURPOSE OF this book is to assist in the understanding of Earth Summit II, held in New York City in June 1997, which sought to assess progress in implementing the commitments made by the governments of most of the world's nations at the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. It seeks to do so by drawing together some of the key documents and providing a brief commentary on the main texts. The book argues that although some progress has been made, much has gone unaddressed. The authors suggest that the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) has provided some results, mainly through its system of national reporting on implementation and its role in providing a useful forum for ministers and officials to review progress annually. Furthermore, they assert that there has been a gradual extension and strengthening of international environmental agreements. At the national level, some aspects of the environment have been improved in some countries. At the local level, there has been a rapid increase in local activity throughout the world under the banner of Local Agenda 21 and similar programmes.

However, not enough has been done, and on many of the major global issues the position is still deteriorating. The countries coming together again in New York in 1997 almost universally agreed that as a programme, there was nothing wrong with Agenda 21. The trouble was that it had not been implemented vigorously enough. The report highlights the work of the last five years as preparation for Earth Summit II was made; also the Commission on Sustainable Development and the special sessions, where it was realized that official aid from donor countries had declined between the dates of the two Earth Summits. Earth Summit II also set the stage for Earth Summit III in 2002 (also known as Rio+10). The authors stress the need for a coherent international timetable for the next five years, as soon as possible, so that when we come to Rio +10 there is genuine progress to report. Establishing realistic expectations, a realistic timetable and a more realistic political commitment to effective follow-up and implementation will be a key part of success.

The book also includes an in-depth discussion of Agenda 21 and comments on the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21. Assessments of progress since Rio, statements of commitment, implementation in areas requiring urgent action, the roles of relevant organizations and institutions of the United Nations, and the future role and methods of work of the Commission on Sustainable Development are examined. Four annexes, official UN documents coming out of Earth Summit II, close the book: Enabling Resolution for the Special Session (I); Organization of the Special Session (II); Overall Progress Achieved since UNCED (III); and the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 (IV).