...theoretically correct assumptions about the past. According to research, it is evident that the earth’s environment and life have been evolving since the beginning of time, which is still evident today as ecosystems and environments continue to change. Three theories that help explain the evolutionary history of our natural world and ongoing environmental change include natural selection, neutral theory of molecular evolution, and the transition into the Anthropocene epoch. Natural selection theory argues that life forms evolve in response to the changes in the environment. Neutral theory of molecular change argues that changes occur in organisms at a constant rate over time without the influence of the environment. Anthropocene is a relatively new term that suggests we have transitioned from the Holocene era to the Anthropocene, which is characterized human dominated activity. These theories are presented in various works, but this paper will focus on Life and the Evolution of Earth’s Atmosphere by Stephen J. Mojzsis, The Anthropocene: a new epoch of geological time? by Jan Zalasiewicz, Mark Williams, Alan Haywood, and Michael Ellis, and The Modern Molecular Clock by Lindell Bromham and David Penny. According to most scientists including Stephen Mojzsis (2001), the earth’s atmosphere and oceans appeared 4.5 billion years ago. The planet’s conditions were predominately anaerobic for 2.2 billion years; greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen, water vapour, sulfur gases...
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...The Anthropocene: Defining a Contextual Analysis of Sustainability Sustainability, the complementary and balanced positioning of social, economical and environmental interests, has become a rudimentary consideration for outlining a green, energy-efficient and economically affluent future. Anthropocene, “the New Human” is responsible for the current environmental imbalance which has resulted a great deal of concern for the lack of sustainability right now. But it is not an inconvenience that has occurred overnight. The Anthropocene has made an impact on the environment as well as the sustainable future which is significant on the contextual background of sustainability. William F. Ruddiman, a palaeoclimatogist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Virginia, cited that the Anhropocene began approximately 8000 years ago when the Neolithic Revolution was ongoing. Though Paul Crutzen, noble prize winner in chemistry in 1995 and the person responsible for the rapid popularity of the word Anthropocene, stated that it was during the Industrial revolution when Anthropocene came to existence. Actually I think that the rapid agricultural development was the initial key factor for the present lack of sustainability. As the Anthropocene were contributing to the agricultural revolution to develop the socio-economic factors, the factors responsible for environmental safekeeping were being threatened by their imprudent actions. Professor William estimated the population of...
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...The Anthropocene is a proposed name to define our current geologic epoch – a new era where humans exert influence over the Earth’s natural systems. There is plentiful evidence that this name change is long overdue; however, rather than debating amongst the many researchers and scientists for a point of origin, environmental ethics scholar Christopher J. Preston in “Framing an Ethics of Climate Management for the Anthropocene” considers the complexity of climate change, and through the use of logos is able to argue his theory of “the climate imperative.” In order to facilitate the use of logos, Preston repeatedly begins sentences with direct statements, such as “The release of the Intergovernmental Panel” (359), which sets a tone for the paper....
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...By definition, the Anthropocene is a proposed epoch that began when human activities started to have a significant global impact on Earth's ecosystems. The idea of an anthropogenic era is a highly debated topic amongst many researchers such as: Paul Wapner and Christopher J. Preston, who have attempted to provide viable solutions to ease the Anthropocene. They also argue that “we have so tamed, colonized, and contaminated the natural world that safeguarding it from humans is no longer an option” (Wapner, 111). Wapner depicts how humanity's imprint is now everywhere, and all efforts to "preserve" nature are highly improbable in the near future. Although a bold and convincing statement, it relies on a “slippery slope” type assumption that the...
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...Natural resources are resources that exist without the actions of humankind. This includes all valued characteristics such as magnetic, gravitational, and electrical properties and forces. On earth we include sunlight, atmosphere, water, land, air(includes all minerals) along with all vegetation and animal life that naturally subsists upon or within the heretofore identified characteristics and substances.[1][2][3][4] Particular areas such as the rainforest in Fatu-Hiva are often characterized by the biodiversity and geodiversity existent in their ecosystems. Natural resources may be further classified in different ways. Natural resources are materials and components (something that can be used) that can be found within the environment. Every man-made product is composed of natural resources (at its fundamental level). A natural resource may exist as a separate entity such as fresh water, and air , as well as a living organism such as a fish, or it may exist in an alternate form which must be processed to obtain the resource such as metal ores, mineral oil, and most forms of energy. There is much debate worldwide over natural resource allocations, this is particularly true during periods of increasing scarcity and shortages (depletion and overconsumption of resources) but also because the exportation of natural resources is the basis for many economies (particularly for developed countries). Some natural resources such as sunlight and air can be found everywhere, and are known...
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...Sustainable Development and Planetary Boundaries BACKGROUND RESEARCH PAPER Johan Rockström and Jeffrey D. Sachs with Marcus C. Öhman and Guido Schmidt-Traub Submitted to the High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda This paper reflects the views of the author and does not represent the views of the Panel. It is provided as background research for the HLP Report, one of many inputs to the process. May 2013 Draft for Discussion Sustainable Development and Planetary Boundaries Draft for Discussion Background paper for the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda Prepared by the co-chairs of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Thematic Group on Macroeconomics, Population Dynamics, and Planetary Boundaries: Johan Rockström Executive Director, Stockholm Resilience Centre Professor of Environmental Science, Stockholm University Jeffrey D. Sachs Director, The Earth Institute, Columbia University Director, The Sustainable Development Solutions Network Special Advisor to Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on the Millennium Development Goals with Marcus C. Öhman Associate Professor and Senior Researcher in Ecology and Environmental Science, Stockholm Resilience Centre Guido Schmidt-Traub Executive Director, The Sustainable Development Solutions Network 15 March 2013 1 Draft for Discussion The world faces a serious challenge, indeed one that is unique to our age. Developing countries rightly...
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