This text argues argues that the planet and humanity must be considered as a single-entity for political decision making and problem solving: planetary, rather than national, interest is introduced as a tool for solving global problems.

This text suggests that contemporary political and institutional arrangements for problem-solving, based on sovereignty as a principle and the nation-state as a decision-making unit, are not equipped to handle such problems and that concepts and methods of decision-making are therefore needed to augment existing ones in dealing with the challenges of the 21st-century.; Kennedy Graham argues that, henceforth, the planet and humanity must be considered as a single-entity for decsion making purposes. He introduces and develops the idea of the planetary interest as a vital conceptual tool to assist citizens and policy-makers in understanding emerging global problems and approaching them with global solutions. The book includes contributions from 20 current or former politicians, who discuss the particular global problems threatening their countries, looking at the ways in which the planetary interest can help them pursue a legitimate national interest.

List of Tables and Figures Notes on Authors Acknowledgements Glossary Foreword Kofi A. Annan Preface Kennedy Graham Part 1: Introduction 1. The Planetary Interest Kennedy Graham 2. Legitimacy in Twenty-first Century Politics Gwyn Prins 3. The Legitimate National Interest
and Legitimate Global Power Kennedy Graham Part 2: The Vital Planetary Interest and the Legitimate National Interest
Part 2, Section 1: Global Strategic Security 4. Nuclear
Disarmament 4.1 Introduction 4.2 New Zealand David Lange
4.3 The Russian Federation Andrei Kozyrev 5. Chemical and Biological Disarmament 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Jordan
Toujan Faisal 5.3 Israel Naomi Chazan Part
2, Section 2: Global Environmental Integrity 6. Ozone Protection 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Argentina Dante Caputo 6.3 Japan Koji Kakizawa 7. Climate Stabilization 7.1
Introduction 7.2 The Maldives Ibrahim Hussain Zaki 7.3 China Chian Yi Part 2, Section 3: Global Sustainability 8. Population Stabilization 8.1 Introduction 8.2 India
Margaret Alva 8.3 Australia Margaret Reynolds 9. Development 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Bangladesh Abdul Moyeen Khan 9.3 Kenya Charity Kaluki Ngilu 10. Forest Management 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Indonesia Theo Sambuaga 10.3 Brazil Fabio Feldman 11. Consumption 11.1
Introduction 11.2 United States Claudine Schneider11.3 Sweden Lena Klevenas Part 3: The Vital Planetary Interest and Legitimate Global Power 12. Global Powers: Earth's planetary interest Shridath Ramphal 13. Global and
Regional Powers: Europe's regional interest Emma Bonino 14. Global and National Powers: Britain's national interest Michael Marshall 15. Global and Local Powers: Rome's municipal interest Francesco Rutelli Part 4: Conclusion 16. The Planetary Interest: Thoughts for the future Kennedy Graham Bibliography Index