‘The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role’ and Make a brief account of the factors that are responsible for the declining health of the earth.

There is a growing

worldwide consciousness that the earth itself is a living

organism — an enormous being of which we are parts. It has its

own metabolic needs and vital processes which need to be

respected and preserved.

The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health.

We have begun to realise our ethical obligations to be good

stewards of the planet and responsible trustees of the legacy to

future generations.

The concept of sustainable development was popularised

in 1987 by the World Commission on Environment and

Development. In its report it defined the idea as “Development

that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the

ability of future generations to meet their needs”, i.e., without

stripping the natural world of resources future generations

would need.