A new, two-volume Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy, published in the U.S. by Macmillan, identifies the Earth Charter as one of the ten primary source documents for this rapidly expanding and important field of research and writing.  It is interesting to note that the Earth Charter is the only document among these ten texts that appeared in the last three decades (see page 429 of the second volume).  The other nine documents are all essays written prior to 1978 as this field was beginning to take shape.  This recognition of the Earth Charter as a primary reference document highlights the special significance that the Earth Charter has acquired for scholars working in the field of environmental ethics and philosophy.