Epilogue

Abstract

During the four years it has taken to complete this book, the world has changed considerably. Economic relations have shifted: the dollar-German mark exchange rate varied by over a factor 2, as did the oil price. Major changes in East-West European relations exposed new pollution and energy problems and are now paving the way for a trans-European energy treaty. The two Germanies merged. Russia opened its borders to foreign investors, allowing the export of profits. A concerted international effort was geared toward extinguishing the major oil fires in the Middle East following the Gulf War. A recent major disaster in Bangladesh generated a wave of publicity that showed the increased likelihood of repetition of such disasters if fossil fuel use and deforestation are allowed to continue.