Five summers ago in Rio de Janeiro, world leaders gathered at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) and committed themselves to the pursuit of sustainable development.¹ As part of that commitment, they signed an impressive array of agreements, including the Forest Principles, the Convention on Biodiversity, the Convention on Climate Change, and Agenda 21.

Reliance on these international legal tools suggests that world leaders hope the world can achieve sustainable development through law. In fact, law is an awkward tool for promoting sustainable development. This Dialogue explores why and offers some challenges to attorneys, judges, and lawmakers who hope to promote sustainable use of the world's resources.