Spanning a vast, multicontinental area - from Asia to Africa, and including the Middle East and Australia - the Indian Ocean Region represents a diverse and historical network of cultures, economies, and environments. It has been described as the "heart of the Third World" and, in precolonial times, "a crucible for a first global economy." Today, it is a crucible for global survival.In this collection, Timothy Doyle and Melissa Risely bring together an international group of environmentalists, political scientists, and international relations scholars largely from the region to address key issues vital to determining the human and environmental security of the region. Addressing topics that include agri-food production systems, the geopolitics of water resources along the Mekong River basin, oil production, transportation, waste disposal, and climate change, the contributors highlight the importance of regional collaboration and offer policy and management strategies for cooperative, multinational problem solving.