Global Change and the Earth System: A Planet Under Pressure
IGBP Book Series
The interactions between environmental change and human societies have a long, complex history spanning many millennia, but these have changed fundamentally in the last century. Human activities are now so pervasive and profound that they are altering the Earth in ways which threaten the very life support system upon which humans depend. This book describes what is known about the Earth System and the impact of changes caused by humans. It considers the consequences of these changes with respect to the stability of the Earth System and the well-being of humankind; as well as exploring future paths towards Earth System science in support of global sustainability.
Table of contents
An Integrated Earth System.- Planetary Machinery: The Dynamics of the Earth System Prior to Significant Human Influence.- The Anthropocene Era: How Humans are Changing the Earth System.- Reverberations of Change: The Responses of the Earth System to Human Activities.- Living with Global Change: Consequences of Changes in the Earth System for Human Well-Being.- Towards Earth System Science and Global Sustainability.
Source: Steffen, W., Sanderson, A., Jäger, J., Tyson, P.D., Moore III, B., Matson, P.A., Richardson, K., Oldfield, F., Schellnhuber, H.-J., Turner II, B.L., Wasson, R.J. Global Change and the Earth System: A Planet Under Pressure Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany, January 2004 336 pp. 258 illustrations, 145 in colour