Unusually this is a book about almost everywhere except the West. From obvious countries like China and India to less obvious places such as Ethiopia and Peru, it explores the multi-faceted nature of 'sustainability'. Scholars with expert country knowledge detail the sustainability challenges facing the emerging economies of the world and the difficulty – perhaps even the impossibility – of successfully navigating a path that achieves growth without environmental decline. This is a book for anyone who seeks to go beyond the platitudes of sustainable development.Jonathan Rigg, National University of SingaporeCoupling two critical issues of our time – sustainable development and the changing centre of gravity of the global economy – this researched, informative and wide-ranging book both informs and stimulates the reader. It will be of interest to area studies, environmental studies and political economy specialists, students and policy makers.Raphael Kaplinsky, The Open University, UK