"How am I concerned about the environment from where I stand professionally?" Or, "what is the environmental edge of my profession?" A number of outstanding academics were asked to consider these questions in 1989 with the aim of opening an innovative discussion on environmental changes and an understanding of how these are related to human activities. At the personal invitation of the Programme Committee, 17 individuals, each of whom have different professional backgrounds and nationalities, prepared a paper and met for a symposium in Elsinore, Denmark, in September of 1990. Some of the authors revised their original papers as a result of the discussions during the symposium. After peer review and editing, the contributions were printed in this book in versions that express the authors' personal convictions and priority environmental concerns. The authors contributed to the symposium by delivering papers and participat­ ing in stimulating and sometimes provocative discussions. The Programme Committee is grateful for the professional inspiration provided and for the spiritual and warm, social atmosphere in which the symposium took place.