Discusses the overall economic, social, political, and economic environmental issues in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Poland and the Slovak Republic since 1989. The problems experienced during the convergence of environmental policies, including the Environment for Europe Process, membership in the European Union and OECD, and implications for environmental policies when European accession occurs, are evaluated on a country by country basis. Compares past policies, present practices, and future plans.

Jürg Klarer is the editor of The Environmental Challenge for Central European Economies in Transition, published by Wiley. Bedrich Moldan is a Czech ecologist, publicist and politician. Moldan is professor of environmental science, founder and director of the Charles University Environment Center. From 2001 to 2004 coordinating lead author of Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.