Syndromes of Global Change

Abstract

Global Change as a recently emerging, multidimensional problematique shows a variety of world-wide core problems like soil erosion, water scarcity or development disparities that threaten humankind and its future. Sustainability as the encompassing issue for this future is endangered by negative trends and their reinforcements within the Earth System. The understanding of these trends and interactions driving Global Change is a difficult but necessary scientific task, demanding integrative, cross-sectoral research strategies. What are the key problems humankind is facing today? How do they interact? What options do we have for future development, regarding natural boundary conditions and socio-economic constraints? Which types of actual developments might lead to catastrophes? In this article an integrative, transdisciplinary approach to analyze Global Change is presented, which is supposed to provide a novel cognitive basis for politics and the general public to make decisions about the future management of planet Earth. Abstract & Keywords → p. 79