While current environmental challenges may sometimes seem insurmountable, they also represent opportunities for individuals, local communities and businesses and for international cooperation. New and exciting avenues to achieve sustainable development will emerge from the use of economic and regulatory instruments, new and existing technologies and the empowerment of stakeholders to establish enabling environments for innovation and creative solutions. The current environmental challenges and opportunities will cause the environment to move from often being considered as a marginal issue at the intergovernmental and national levels to the centre of political and economic decision-making. The linkages between environmental sustainability and the.
