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2 - Humankind and the Planet

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 March 2022

Edward Barbier
Affiliation:
Colorado State University
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Summary

Chapter 2 reviews the mounting scientific evidence of the growing “fragility” of the Earth system and its implications for the planet. It traces the long history of how humans have exploited nature to create wealth, starting with the Agricultural Transition 10,000 years ago up to the Fossil Fuel Age and its global consequences. The chapter then focuses on the four threats created by current human impacts on the biosphere: climate change, land use and biodiversity loss, freshwater scarcity and deteriorating marine and coastal habitats. Each of these global challenges will be examined in more detail in later chapters (see Chapters 4–7).

Type
Chapter
Information
Economics for a Fragile Planet
Rethinking Markets, Institutions and Governance
, pp. 21 - 54
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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  • Humankind and the Planet
  • Edward Barbier, Colorado State University
  • Book: Economics for a Fragile Planet
  • Online publication: 24 March 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108914000.003
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  • Humankind and the Planet
  • Edward Barbier, Colorado State University
  • Book: Economics for a Fragile Planet
  • Online publication: 24 March 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108914000.003
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Humankind and the Planet
  • Edward Barbier, Colorado State University
  • Book: Economics for a Fragile Planet
  • Online publication: 24 March 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108914000.003
Available formats
×