"This splendid book brings together the beauty of the earth and the shame of our insults."-James Lovelock, environmentalist and author of The Gaia Theory"Will we continue with our short-sighted plunder, or will we take the positive steps necessary to secure our common future? Through extraordinary photographs this important book shows why the stakes are so high and time is so short."-Tony Juniper, Friends of the Earth"Our Fragile World" celebrates the beauty of our world-and its diversity-through extra-ordinary photographs. Over 150 stunning images from the world's best photographers illustrate the many ways in which nature and human life share the planet-sometimes in balance, sometimes not.From nature's delicate coral reefs to the human-made ecosystem of rice paddies, from the horrible beauty of the ozone hole to the innocent delight of playful penguins, these photos celebrate the wonder of the world we have and cannot afford to lose. The compelling photos make you look twice and think again. It's a beautiful, complex, fragile planet: we can adapt and learn, working with nature to protect it.Includes work from some of the world's leading photographers, and many images featured in the United Nations Environment Programme photography competition.