THE FIRST 30 years of the 21st century saw major environmental pressures shake world leaders into implementing a series of radical solutions to global problems.

Major scientific and socio-economic advances mean we are now living in a better world. Looking back to 1945, the world was emerging from its most catastrophic war ever. Now people live longer, in better conditions, with less pressure being placed on the Earth's resources. Population growth is at last levelling out. There is a burgeoning sense of real world prosperity. SC