The chapters of the book examine the proliferation of meetings, the changes in actors and their roles (including governments, non-governmental organizations, secretariats), the interlinkages of issues, the impact of scientific advice and the challenges of implementation across negotiating processes. Negotiating processes examined include the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, the United Nations Forum on Forests, the chemicals conventions (Stockholm, Basel and Rotterdam), the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, the Convention on Migratory Species and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.