ROBERT MACDONA LD Wh at constitutes environmentally and socially sus taina ble develop ment ?The importance of this qu estion has been mad e ap pa rent by global social an d envi ronment al problem s, including continued widespread po verty and misery, directly related to current pattern s of economic grow th. The Brundtland Commission has highli ght ed the urgent need to u nd ertake a search for answers to the qu estion, emphas izing the importan ce of int ernational collaboration in the process (World Commission on Env ironment an d Development, 1987).While the need to pursue sus tainable development extends to all activities, int ernational collaboration directed towards expanding the array of "su stainabl e" energy options is especially required . This comment examines some of the opportunities for such collabo ration with par ticular referenc e to Kenya' s energy sector.' 1/ For an accoun t of sus tainable fossil fuel options in relation to the carbon dioxide p roblem, see Smil (1989). Some useful general sour ces on sus tainable developm ent in relation to the argument pr esent ed here are NacN eill, Cox and