This handbook is a guide to the federal Endangered Species Act, the primary U.S. law aimed at protecting species of animals and plants from human threats to their survival. It is intended for lawyers, government agency employees, students, community activists, businesspeople, and any citizen who wants to understand the Act--its history, provisions, accomplishments, and failures.

Examining institutions rather than themes, this book provides a comprehensive survey of the inter-relationship between trade-induced economic growth and the environment and its impact on the global quest for sustainable development. Covering contemporary developments on both a global and regional level in a systematic fashion and examining the United Nation‘s approach to sustainable development, it is of interest to a range of disciplines.