Understanding of processes of change in the global environment comes from analysis of evidence that spans the boundaries between nations and between disciplines. Scientists are obliged to work across those boundaries in a variety of ways if they are to arrive at reasonably accurate judgements as to what is known or not known about the alterations that are taking place in the air, water, soil, and biota, of the Earth. One of the devices which they have used since 1969 is the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE).

Developing nations have yet to enter the projected main phase of their population explosion. Between 1950 and 1985 they increased their numbers by 1,980 million people, whereas between 1985 and 2020 the increase is projected to be 2,783 millions. If we exclude China from the reckoning, on the grounds of that country being well on the way to a zero-growth population, the figures are 1,486 millions and 2,415 millions.

Whereas it used to be supposed rather widely that fuel-wood was used mainly in rural areas, large-scale migration of rural people to urban areas, and the consequent mushrooming growth of squatter settlements in urban areas (cf. Fig. 4), have increased the consumption of fuel-wood in those areas. The shortage of fuel-wood coupled with the increase in demand, has caused steep rises in the price of fuel-wood in urban areas. Although a large number of studies on deforestation have appeared, the actual forces behind deforestation have been very poorly understood in most of the developing countries (Hadley & Lanly, 1983), while information of where fuel-wood is actually consumed is not widely available. If deforestation is really to be arrested, comprehensive studies on the demand and supply of fuel-wood will have to be generated and concomitant action ensured.

Lowland forest in southern Somalia is restricted to the Holawajir depression and banks of the Jubba and Shabeelle Rivers. Riverine forest probably covers less than 3,000 ha and is undergoing rapid clearance for farming, so that it seems unlikely to survive this century. Further biological survey is required but the flora, and bird and mammal faunas, appear to be impoverished compared with those on the lower Tana River in Kenya.

The subdivision of Australian tropical rain-forest into one- and two-hectares' residential blocks changes the local ecology in a dramatic manner. It opens the canopy, changes the humidity regime, decimates ancient climax vegetation, and introduces weed species. As a result, the practice is incompatible with the objectives alike of the World Conservation Strategy and the National Conservation Strategy for Australia. Government intervention will be required if the Strategy is to be implemented. The first step towards implementation is the evaluation of current and proposed practices. A brief analysis of the incidence of costs and benefits demonstrates the skewed distribution which results from rain-forest subdivision. A few sellers and promoters receive millions of dollars in capital gains, while millions of other people lose the public and recreational benefits offered by the existing rain-forest, and the world as a whole loses much of scientific value. The information gained by this brief analysis provides the Government with a better basis on which to act than heretofore.

Closed (or ‘blind’) estuaries are common features, practically throughout the world, of areas experiencing markedly seasonal rainfall. The Bot River vlei is a closed estuary which faces considerable problems of management and conservation. For the past 100 years or more, the estuary has been opened to the sea every 2 to 5 years by artificial means. This has resulted in a very great variability of physical conditions and a concomitantly low diversity of organisms that are able to occupy the estuary permanently. Nevertheless, those species that do exist in the Bot River vlei are mostly estuarine species.

There is a need today for accurate understanding of the relationships between economic activities and the environmental realm. In particular, it is urgent from an economic viewpoint to put quantitative meanings upon external, environmental contributions to the economy. Energy analysis and energy externality evaluation procedures are useful in this respect.

The distribution and abundance of gulls were examined on Raritan and Delaware Bays from 20 April to 26 October 1982. Gull numbers were affected by seasonal, tidal, weather-related, and human disturbance, factors on both Bays. Gulls comprised from about 40 to 60% of the avifauna on the census areas, and shorebirds accounted for most of the other individuals. Peak numbers of gulls were present on Delaware Bay from May through July, and on Raritan Bay in September. Laughing Gulls (Larus atricilla) were the dominant species on both Raritan (90%) and Delaware (70%) Bays, with Herring Gulls (L. argentatus) second in abundance.