The human race needs its planet. We depend upon it completely, because we evolved from it, remain forever part of it, and can exist only by courtesy of the self-sustaining Earth System. The Earth is unique not only in our Solar System, but as far as we know, in the accessible universe. It is not just the only planet we have - it is the only living planet we know, or may ever know. The Earth provides so many riches, about which we have so much more to learn - as innovative new research techniques are brought to bear. The more we learn, the more we understand that we must nurture the Earth as we would our children, for their sake.

This brochure, Planet Earth in our hands, is the first in a projected series of 10.The second will describe the objectives of the International Year 's Outreach Programme Committee.Numbers 3 to 10 will describe the eight major research topic areas of the Science Programme.