The project was originally conceived in 1972 by James Wellesley-Wesley,4 who provided financial support through the foundation Mankind 2000,5 and Anthony Judge, by whom the work was orchestrated.6
Work on the first edition started with funds from Mankind 2000, matching those of the UIA. The publisher Klaus Saur, of Munich, provided funds, in conjunction with those from the UIA, for work on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th editions. Seed funding for the third volume of the 4th edition was also provided on behalf of Mankind 2000.7 In the nineties, seed funding was provided, again on behalf of Mankind 2000, for computer equipment which subsequently allowed the UIA to develop a website and make available for free the 1994–1995 edition of the EWPHP databases. The UIA, on the initiative of Nadia McLaren, a consultant ecologist who has been a primary editor for the EWPHP,8 instigated two multi-partner projects funded by the European Union, with matching funds from the UIA. The work done through those two projects, Ecolynx: Information Context for Biodiversity Conservation9 (mainly) and Interactive Health Ecology Access Links,10 resulted in a fifth, web-based edition of the EWPHP in 2000.11 Two other individuals supported the project: Robert Jungk of Mankind 2000, and Christian de Laet12 of the UIA.1314
EWPHP began as a processing of documents gathered from entities profiled in the Yearbook of International Organizations. The United Nations Library in Geneva facilitated access to other material over two decades.1516 At one point, the Institute of Cultural Affairs International was contractually associated.17 The Goals, Processes and Indicators of Development project was led by Johan Galtung of the United Nations University,18 in conjunction with Anthony Judge.19
The principal editors of the EWPHP's editions have been Jon Jenkins, Maureen Jenkins, Owen Victor, Jacqueline Nebel, Nadia McLaren, and Tomáš Fülöpp. In 2005, following disagreement over the partnership contract, Anthony Judge, in his role as executive secretary of Mankind 2000, reframed the EWPHP as having been a strategic initiative of the Union of Intelligible Associations.[according to whom?]2021
Tomáš Fülöpp maintained the EWPHP databases at the UIA until sometime after January 2012. Tomáš Fülöpp also acts as manager along with senior editors Nadia McLaren and Kimberly Trathen.
There have been several reviews of the EWPHP.28 One of the criticisms came from the American Library Association in 1987: "The board considers the Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential a problematic monument to idiosyncrasy, confusion, and obfuscation that certainly is not worth purchasing at any price."29 Similarly, The Guardian was critical in a review article published in 1992. The Wall Street Journal published a review of the EWPHP initiative in December 2012.30
Redles, David (1987). "Encyclopedia of world problems and human potential". Government Publications Review. 14 (3): 358–361. doi:10.1016/0277-9390(87)90074-4 – via Academia. https://www.academia.edu/21917126 ↩
UIA Online Encyclopedia. Union of International Associations. http://uia.org/encyclopedia?qt-encyclopedia=1#qt-encyclopedia ↩
Hardcover edition of the Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential. Union of International Associations. http://uia.org/encyclopedia?qt-encyclopedia=2#qt-encyclopedia ↩
In Remembrance of James Wellesley-Wesley. M2000.org (25 April 2007). Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.m2000.org/docs/bio_jww_tj.php ↩
Mankind 2000 / Humanité 2000. M2000.org (22 February 1999). Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.m2000.org/ ↩
Encyclopedia Illusions – Rationale for an Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential. Laetusinpraesens.org. Retrieved on 23 November 2011. https://www.laetusinpraesens.org/docs90s/91enill.php/ ↩
Global strategies project – Introduction: background and acknowledgements. Union of International Associations. Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.uia.be/node/159?kap=3 ↩
Nadia McLaren. Union of International Associations. Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.uia.be/node/164090 ↩
Information Context for Biodiversity Conservation Archived 1 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Ecolynx. Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.ecolynx.org/ ↩
Interactive Health Ecology Access Links (IHEAL). Union of International Associations. Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.uia.be/node/164024 ↩
Initiatives within the framework of the Union of International Associations. Un-intelligible.org (22 February 1999). Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.un-intelligible.org/docs/initiate.php ↩
Christian de Laet. Uia.be (9 December 2008). Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.uia.be/node/318898 ↩
Encyclopedia of world problem and human potential project – Overview: background and acknowledgements. Union of International Associations. Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.uia.be/node/163?kap=8 ↩
Encyclopedia of world problems and human potential – Assessment: International organizations as a source. Union of International Associations. Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.uia.be/node/163?kap=18 ↩
Goals, processes and indicators of development: A project description Galtung J. 1978. HSDPD-9/UNUP, United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan. Also: GPID Project – Goals, Processes and Indicators of Development – Complete list of papers Archived 20 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine http://d-arch.ide.go.jp/je_archive/pdf/human/hsdp9.pdf ↩
Union of Intelligible Associations. Un-intelligible.org (22 February 1999). Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.un-intelligible.org/ ↩
Reclaiming the Heritage of Misappropriated Collective Endeavour. Un-intelligible.org. Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.un-intelligible.org/docs/reclaim.php ↩
See note C in Statistics – Development of Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential (1976–1995) http://www.uia.be/node/325609 ↩
UIA – Saur Relations: Sharing a Documentary Pilgrimage. Uia.be (5 July 1974). Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.uia.be/node/163979 ↩
http://www.uia.be/node/327829 Book review of November–December 1991. http://www.uia.be/node/327829 ↩
UIA Online Databases. Union of International Associations. Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.uia.be/db ↩
Statistics – Development of Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential (1976–1995). Union of International Associations. Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.uia.be/node/325609 ↩
Selected reviews of the Encyclopedia[permanent dead link]. Union of International Associations. Retrieved on 23 November 2011. http://www.uia.be/en/node/146 ↩
Booklist, v.83, p.698, American Library Association, January 1987 ↩
Encyclopedia of World Problems Has a Big One of Its Own, a Wall Street Journal article, by Daniel Michaels, 11 December 2012. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323717004578158742420230924 ↩