cover image Only One World: Our Own to Make and to Keep

Only One World: Our Own to Make and to Keep

Gerard Piel. W.H. Freeman & Company, $21.95 (367pp) ISBN 978-0-7167-2316-5

Only if the world's poor, preindustrial nations restart their industrial revolutions will they be able to eradicate poverty and stabilize population growth, in Piel's judgment. To aid in this task, the chairman emeritus of Scientific American urges the wealthy, industrialized nations to support massive economic aid and technology transfer to the Third World. His careful, scientific discussion of ozone depletion, acid rain and other damage to the biosphere and its ecosystems leads him to make various policy recommendations, which include intensive research into solar and other alternative forms of energy. This levelheaded developmental primer includes a country-by-country survey of what is needed to trigger economic growth. Piel's pragmatic vision for a new partnership between rich and poor nations makes urgent reading for policymakers, economists, politicians, environmentalists and concerned citizens. Illustrations. (May)