Rescue Mission Planet Earth: A Children's Edition of Agenda 21. - book reviews

UN Chronicle, June, 1994 by Harold Fruchtbaum

UN Children's Fund, UN Development Programme, UN Environment Programme, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Foundation for Environmental Awareness Grisewood & Dempsey, London and New York, 1994 96 pp. $9.95. ISBN 1-85697-175-9 (paperback)

The 28 young editors from 21 countries are correct when they write, "No--this isn't another doom and gloom book about eco-disasters with some kindly advice at the end about how to sort your garbage." They have created a colourful and spirited book about Agenda 21. "What we've done is to put it into a language that ordinary people can understand." Written, designed, typeset and illustrated by the Children's Task Force on Agenda 21, this intelligent volume synthesizes the work of more than 10,000 young people in 75 countries. The themes of Agenda 21 are presented in two parts: one for the problems and possible solutions in the natural world; the other for the human world. Where Agenda 21 is reticent, the editors are not reluctant to shout. For example, they "were surprised by one thing: there's nothing in Agenda 21 about war and militarism"! Who will do what must be done and the role of young people are treated in the last two parts of the book. A good-humoured glossary-Acid rain (is) rain with acid in it"--and slip-out booklet of relevant activities for children complete this original call to action.