In late 1983 Gro Harlem Brundtland, the former Prime Minister of Norway, was asked by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to establish and chair the World Commission on Environment and Development, a special, independent commission convened to formulate "a global agenda for change."

The Secretary-General's request emerged from growing concern in the General Assembly about a number of issues, including: long-term sustainable development; cooperation between developed and developing nations; more effective international management of environmental concerns; the differing international perceptions of long-term environmental issues; and strategies for protecting and enhancing the environment.

The commission worked for three years and produced what is commonly known as "The Brundtland Report." Published in book form in 1987 as Our Common Future, the report addresses what it identifies as "common concerns," such as a threatened future, sustainable development, and the role of the international community...