The way ahead

Résumé fourni par la source

Some challenges faced by environmental management (EM) are clear: population increase, global warming, pollution, risk of war, food provision, water resources, urbanisation, land degradation, biodiversity loss, rising consumption (consumerism) and poorly considered globalisation. However, threat awareness needs to be widened to consider less obvious challenges and opportunities. Remedial action must be increased and enforcement of EM must be strengthened. Modern development has led to vulnerability, poor resilience and weak adaptability. Adaptability and resilience should be key goals. This chapter explores: challenges and new opportunities; the future – the Anthropocene; the way forward for EM; politics and ethics to support EM. A closing note is offered. Overshoot of Earth&s;s carrying capacity is happening now and its effects will get worse: population is above a long-term sustainable level. A global warming of 2.7°C by 2100 seems possible and would be most undesirable. A steady state co-evolution between humans and Earth may be many decades away but a start must be made now. EM has to steer humans towards it through difficult times being proactive and precautionary. Nuclear war is a serious threat added to other challenges.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.