Environment and development issues are more and more transboundary and often have to be dealt with on a global scale. Law, governance, the sciences and management are still adapting to address this. In the past scientists have been able to thoroughly research problems and then suggest solutions, but increasingly advice has to be offered before adequate data and knowledge are available, because delay risks the challenge developing into a costly or uncontrollable problem. Environmental management faces unexpected and rapid changes and also insidious problems which develop so slowly and/or covertly that they get overlooked. For some problems novel intergenerational approaches may be required – something new to human development.