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A finite world, earth sciences, and public trust.
1Department of Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management, Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, 322 Hearst Mining Bldg., Berkeley CA 94720-1760, USA. tnnarasimhan@LBL.gov
Ground Water
|January 21, 2003
Summary
Humans can now disrupt Earth's delicate cycles due to technological advances. This study explores the conflict between natural laws and human-driven social laws, impacting earth sciences and public trust.
Area of Science:
- Earth Sciences
- Environmental Science
- Sociology
Background:
- 21st-century recognition of finely-tuned, life-sustaining Earth cycles.
- Human technological capacity to significantly alter these natural cycles.
- Societal influence of freedom and democracy on resource exploitation for profit.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the conflict between immutable physical laws governing nature and social laws driven by human aspirations.
- To examine the implications of this conflict for the human relevance of earth sciences.
- To contextualize this exploration within the European tradition of public trust.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of the interplay between natural and social laws.
- Exploration of historical and philosophical underpinnings of public trust.
- Case study (implied) of societal impacts on Earth's cycles.
Main Results:
- Identification of a fundamental tension between natural environmental balance and human economic/social drivers.
- Highlighting the increasing relevance of earth sciences in understanding human impact.
- Demonstration of the public trust doctrine as a framework for addressing these conflicts.
Conclusions:
- The current era necessitates a re-evaluation of humanity's relationship with Earth's systems.
- Earth sciences play a critical role in informing policy and societal choices.
- The public trust concept offers a valuable lens for managing shared natural resources ethically and sustainably.