The world is losing species and biodiversity at a rate unprecedented in history. The causes go deep, and the losses are driven by a complex array of social, economic, political and biological factors at different levels. Immediate causes, such as overharvesting, pollution and habitat change, have been well studied. But the socio-economic factors driving people to degrade their environment are less well understood.This book examines the underlying causes. It provides analyses of a range of case studies around the world and integrates them into a new and interdisciplinary framework for understanding what is happening. From these results, the editors are able to derive policy conclusions and recommendations, for operational and institutional approaches to address the 'root causes' and reverse the current trends.It makes an invaluable contribution to the understanding of all those - from ecologists and conservationists to economists and policy makers - working on one of the major challenges we face. Published in association with WWF