The Biosphere and Civilization: In the Throes of a Global Crisis

ISBN-13: 9783319671925 / Angielski / Twarda / 2018 / 265 str.

Igor E. Reyf; Victor I. Danilov-Danil'yan

Opis

This book attempts to explain the dire ecological, social, and economic situations facing mankind through simple, yet comprehensive analyses of global ecological issues, poverty, environmental stability and regulation, and sustainable development.

Spis treści

Part 1 Civilization in Crisis: The Edge of the Abyss.- Chapter 1 The Global Ecological Situation.- Chapter 2 A Critically Overpopulated Planet.- Chapter 3 The Ecological Footprint of Modern Man.- Part II Civilization in Crisis: The Edge of the Abyss (Continued).- Chapter 4 The Social Dimensions of the Crisis.- Chapter 5 Centralized Economics, the Market and Their “Contributions”.- Part III World Society: Politicians and Scientists in Search of an Answer.- Chapter 7 First Steps by the UN and Club of Rome The Computer Model That Rocked the World.- Chapter 8 Programs of Change: Stockholm—Rio de Janeiro—Johannesburg—Rio+20.- Chapter 9 The Path to a Systemic Concept of the Biosphere.- Part IV Permanence of the Planetary Environment and the Concept of Biotic Regulation.- Chapter 10 Abiotic Factors in Forming the Earth’s Climate.- Chapter 11 Role of the Biota in Forming the Environment.- Chapter 12 Biotic Mechanisms for Supporting Environmental Stability.- Part V Weighing a Scientific Approach.- Chapter 13 Foundations for Sustainability in Nature and Society.- Chapter 14 Sustainable Development Within the Norms of the Biosphere’s Carrying Capacity.- Chapter 15 Prerequisites for Sustainable Development and Maintaining Ecosystems by Country and Continent. Russia’s “Special Project”.- Chapter 16 What About Coevolution?.- IN PLACE OF A CONCLUSION: THE DIE IS NOT YET CAST.- Bibliography.

O autorze

Igor Reyf is a freelance journalist and writer who graduated from the First Medical Sechenov Institute in Moscow (now the Moscow Medical University) in 1963. he has published numerous articles and essays in Russian periodicals, most recently focusing on the field of science journalism. His work in environmental issues has resulted in a book entitled Mankind Facing its Greatest Challenge, and a series of environmental articles in several popular scientific journals.

Dr. Victor Danilov Danil'yan is a Correspondent Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and has been the Director of the Water Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences since 2003. He graduated from Moscow State University in 1960, earned his PhD in Economics in 1975, and became a full Professor in 1979. He was formerly a Professor in the Economics Faculty at Moscow State University (1978-1990), Minister of Nature Conservation and Natural Resources of the Russian Federation (1991-1996), Head of the national Committee of the Russian Federation for nature Conservation (1996-2000), and President of the International Independent University of Ecology and Political Science (2000-2002). He has authored and co-authored more than 400 scientific publications on topics ranging from ecological problems in Russia, sustainable development, ecological safety, and water resources management.

Blurb

This book attempts to explain the dire ecological, social, and economic situations facing mankind through simple, yet comprehensive analyses of global ecological issues, poverty, environmental stability and regulation, and sustainable development. The book conveys complex objects of study, namely the biosphere and the dire anthropogenic processes it has been experiencing for decades, so that the work is accessible without omitting key components of the subject matter.

Readers will learn about the crises facing our global civilization (many of which originate from human causes yet cannot be solved by human technologies), the social and economic contributors to a threatened biosphere, the potential solutions to these problems, the mechanisms that maintain the stability of the global environment, and the scales at which sustainable development and preservation can be applied to initiate environmental regulation. Though intended to appeal to the general public and non-specialists, environmental researchers, organizations involved in sustainable development and conservation, and students engaged in ecology environment, and sustainability studies will also find this book of interest.