Sustainable development continues to be the key idea around which environment and development are structured. This third edition of a sucessful, established text provides a concise and well-illustrated introduction to the ideas behind and the practices flowing from the notion of sustainable development. Ideal for students of geography, development and environmental studies, this key text evaluates the progress made towards establishing more sustainable patterns and processes of development through: - examination of the ways in which key institutions involved in development are changing how they work - consideration of the contemporary characteristics of processes of globalization, aid and trade - the substantial detail of the features of rural and urban environments in the developing world that further condition outcomes for future sustainability at the local level. Reworked and expanded in the light of response to previous editions and rapid developments in the field, this third edition contains a wealth of new case studies from across the globe, discussion questions and further reading. A further forty pages in length, it includes an update of all data/statistics and tables, gives specific attention to the significance of geography and place and new consideration of progress in assessing and monitoring sustainable development. With a strengthened theoretical framework and comprehensive reviews of recent activity, this outstanding book provides an invaluable introduction to the characteristics, challenges and opportunities of sustainable development.

Author Biography

Jennifer Elliott is senior lecturer in geography at Brighton University, UK.