vii
This book is about the present and, to a certain extent, the future of our planet.
A number of books focusing on the relationship of human and environment
have been published, but in this book the multi-directional interactions of the
society and the natural environment of the Earth are placed in consistent systems thinking. Human society is regarded to be part of the global Earth system on which our existence depends. The ways how society shall adjust to
threatening natural forces are presented together with the disturbances in the
operation of the complex Earth system caused by human activities and the
feedback on the life of the society.
Although Earth’s spheres are presented separately, it is emphasised
throughout that effects on a particular sphere trigger consequences spreading
from one sphere to another. Although the structure of the book follows the
sub-systems (geosphere, pedosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere)
and starts from the primary anthropogenic effects on the given sub-system,
their further effects on the different sub-systems and feedbacks on the society
itself are also discussed. These also support the united and complex character
of the global Earth system.
Present structure and operation, current processes of the global society are
also discussed together with steps taken forward to sustainable development.
An attempt is made to outline the most important tasks to achieve, on the one
hand, more humane conditions in most parts of the world and on the other
hand, processes operating in harmony with the natural environment. We know
that there is not a single recipe for beneficial changes, but we also know that
such changes can only be achieved by changing collective consciousness
which probably requires the time of several generations. This is a race with
time. Unfortunately, humans have the bad habit of taking effective measures
to impede harmful changes only when it already feels the merciless effects.
In that case, the question remains: is it too late?
Debrecen, Hungary
Attila Kerényi
Debrecen, Hungary
Richard William McIntosh
January 2019
Preface
This book is about the present and, to a certain extent, the future of our planet.
A number of books focusing on the relationship of human and environment
have been published, but in this book the multi-directional interactions of the
society and the natural environment of the Earth are placed in consistent systems thinking. Human society is regarded to be part of the global Earth system on which our existence depends. The ways how society shall adjust to
threatening natural forces are presented together with the disturbances in the
operation of the complex Earth system caused by human activities and the
feedback on the life of the society.
Although Earth’s spheres are presented separately, it is emphasised
throughout that effects on a particular sphere trigger consequences spreading
from one sphere to another. Although the structure of the book follows the
sub-systems (geosphere, pedosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere)
and starts from the primary anthropogenic effects on the given sub-system,
their further effects on the different sub-systems and feedbacks on the society
itself are also discussed. These also support the united and complex character
of the global Earth system.
Present structure and operation, current processes of the global society are
also discussed together with steps taken forward to sustainable development.
An attempt is made to outline the most important tasks to achieve, on the one
hand, more humane conditions in most parts of the world and on the other
hand, processes operating in harmony with the natural environment. We know
that there is not a single recipe for beneficial changes, but we also know that
such changes can only be achieved by changing collective consciousness
which probably requires the time of several generations. This is a race with
time. Unfortunately, humans have the bad habit of taking effective measures
to impede harmful changes only when it already feels the merciless effects.
In that case, the question remains: is it too late?
Debrecen, Hungary
Attila Kerényi
Debrecen, Hungary
Richard William McIntosh
January 2019
Preface