There is a broad consensus that climate change presents the international community with a formidable challenge. Yet progress on all fronts--prevention, mitigation, and adaptation, has been slow. If humanity really faces dire consequences, why has there been such reluctance and resistance to do anything about it? The editor finds an explanation is the sharp divide between the developed and developing countries on how to act. Developing countries demand that major industrialized nations provide the necessary resources and technology to address climate change, while many developed countries seek firm commitments and timetables on action from the developing countries. The result is a stalemate. This volume explores alternative ways of conceiving of our relation to the natural world. A spirit of international cooperation and collaboration is needed to meet the challenge, and this book makes a substantial contribution toward that goal.