GEO Year Book 2007

The GEO Year Book 2007 is essential, informative, and authoritative reading for anyone with a role or an interest in our changing environment. The 2007 Year Book includes global and regional overviews of significant developments over the past year. It highlights linkages among ecosystem health, human well-being, and economic development||examines new thinking on the value of ecosystem services and the threat from ecosystem degradation||and describes recent research findings and policy decisions that affect our awareness and response to global change. The emerging scientific and policy challenges of nanotechnology are examined from an environmental perspective. Nanotechnology will bring environmental benefits but it is vital that we adopt appropriate assessment and legislative process to address the unique challenges presented by nanomaterials and their life cycles. The GEO-indicators chapter provides an up-to-date graphic representation of key trends and growing stresses on the environment that supports all life on the planet.