Finding a Balance Flemish-Born Writer Calls for Sustainable Development of Ecosystem by Maurits Coppieters As stated in the bookís forward, ìEternal Spring: Living With Enough in a World of Abundanceî by Jef Crab is a bold, thought-provoking presentation of the dilemmas facing modern man and his biosphere in an era of globalization and the imperatives that must be considered if we are to achieve equilibrium with our ecosystem. Further, if we continue to remain blind to the extreme poverty and outrageous inequality that exist in our world, we will end up destroying our democracies and the freedom of individuals and society, resulting in a world where lasting and stable peace will not be achieved in our lifetime. Crab, a Flemish-born author, wrote ìEternal Springî in response to questions raised at a meeting in Flanders, Belgium, in 1979 regarding the predicament of our rapidly eroding ecosystem and the plight of our civilization. Over the last decade, Crab, an ecologist with a deep interest in trans-cultural anthropology and agriculture, has served as an advisor to several nongove rnmental organizations in Israel, Africa, the Middle East and South Africa on semi-arid farming and agriculture issues. Currently, he coordinates training programs in Suriname at the La Rencontre Centre, the cradle of an earth restoration program on the rim of the Amazon rainforest. The author addresses leaders and policymakers at every level of society: local councils, provinces, districts and communities, states, regional and international organizations, and world bodies, such as the United Nations and the European Union. In so doing, he seeks to establish the connectedness of these different levels of human endeavors in what must be humanityís collective quest for a peaceful, sustainable environment. Essentially, Crab calls for the establishment and execution of seven contracts including a global, ecological and political contract. All seven of these contracts must be interrelated for the success of human endeavors and the sustainable development of our ecosystem, not just for ourselves, but for future generationsóthe children of our childrenís children. And it is through a commitment to these contracts that our global village will survive as an ethical-ecological society. The book directs readersí attention to different measures that, from the authorís own experiences, could lead to the restoration, preservation and recovery of our biosphere. Given the problems now confronting mankind, our civilization must reformulate goals on how we conduct our affairs to survive as a global ethical-ecological society. In practical terms, global, regional and local agencies must focus attention on the execution of earth restoration programs regardless of bio-region or lifestyle. In this context, the author states, ìWhat we are looking for is a harmonious marriage between our economic activities and our proper existence in a healthy, humane, and dignified social structure, in other words, a peaceful world of abundance in which free entrepreneurship will only be defined by the limits of Nature and ecological survival.î The uniqueness of ìEternal Springî lies in the fact that it offers a comprehensive, workable model in which all facets of human life and living beings on this planet are integrated into a new vision of hope. At the same time, it offers realistic, concrete steps and actions directed at different levels of society, locally as well as globally, to realize a world of peace and abundance for all life on earth. It is a book with deep spiritual, philosophical and practical approaches to the fulfillment of manís purpose on earth while achieving a sustainable development of his environment. I recommend ìEternal Springî to our world leaders, regional and international institutions, and all segments of our society. Most of all, I recommend the application and funding of well-defined sustainable projects following the basic principles and practices espoused by the author. ìEternal Springî offers possibilities for a new cooperation between politics, science, art and religionóa wedding of our fragmented societies into an integrated whole. Maurits Coppieters is the honorary chairman of the Flemish Parliament, a former member of the European Parliament and former chairman of the Belgian National Centre for Development Cooperation.