Conveners
[EE5] Earth and environmental changes by human activities - living in the Anthropocene: [EE4-1]
- Eun Young Lee (Department of Geology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria)
[EE5] Earth and environmental changes by human activities - living in the Anthropocene: [EE4-2]
- Eun Young Lee (Department of Geology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria)
Description
In this session, we invite current research work investigating changes of Earth and environmental systems as well as topics related to human impacts and the Anthropocene. Diverse environments of the near-surface Earth system have been influenced by human activities. These activities include agriculture, wildlife destruction, deforestration, overpopulation, overexploitation, fossil fuel production, as well as emission of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. The quality, availability, and distribution of Earth’s water has been affected through the physical and chemical modification of streams, lakes, groundwater, river and ocean. The biosphere has been significantly altered by changing or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of many living species. Air pollution impacts on the condition of the atmosphere with damaging effects on human health and other species. The invention of plastic has created one of the most problematic pollutions, which is everywhere on the Earth and even in the ocean. Thus, humans have become the most influential species of the Earth, causing significant environmental degradation, global warming, and climate changes. Recently, the commencement of significant human impact on Earth system was officially termed as a recognized subdivision of geologic time, the Anthropocene.
We welcome interdisciplinary works and case studies that deploy novel approaches and tools to address the reconstruction of human-environmental interactions. Contributions can include insights about how human populations have coped with environmental disasters and abrupt changes in the past or how we understand the emerging Anthropocene to inform strategies for addressing climate challenges in the future. For sustainability and development of human societies and the biodiversity, we require responsible managements of natural resources, which enable us to reduce existing adverse impacts and to prevent impacts to the extent possible. Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by investigating the human-Earth system interactions and developing appropriate technologies.
[Keynote Speaker]
The unintended human footprint on European river systems
- Prof. Andreas Lang (Department Environment and Biodiversity, University of Salzburg, Austria)
[Invited Speaker]
Inhomogeneous warming of the ocean during the recent decades
- Prof. Wonsun Park (IBS Center for Climate Physics, Pusan National University, Rep. Korea)
In this session, we invite current research work investigating changes of Earth and environmental systems as well as topics related to human impacts and the Anthropocene.
People have intentionally transformed river channels in various ways to e.g., enable shipping, for flood protection and hydropower generation. The effects of such measures are well understood and instruments in place to revert some of the environmental impacts through river restoration and re-wildering of river courses. But how do natural rivers look like? In recent years it became clear that...
The ocean covers more than 70% of the Earth's surface and controls the Earth's climate on various time scales, especially longer than decades. Due to its long-term internal variability and variable response to increasing greenhouse gases, observed changes in ocean variables such as sea surface temperature show inhomogeneous warming patterns among different regions over the past decades. These...
Increased anthropogenic activities and industrialization have led to a substantial increase in greenhouse gas emissions and atmospheric aerosol concentrations and caused climate change. Increased aerosol concentration in the atmosphere affects the radiation budget and climate in two distinct ways. First, aerosols cool the atmosphere by directly reflecting incoming solar radiation. Second,...
We welcome discussion with interdisciplinary works and case studies that deploy novel approaches and tools to address the reconstruction of human-environmental interactions.
When we talk about sustainability in coffee, until about 2015, we were talking about the economic sustainability of coffee growing regions, and the rise of Fair Trade Coffee as a solution. However, since 2015, the sustainability of coffee cultivation itself has become an issue.
Basically, coffee trees cannot withstand sub-zero temperatures, so they can only be grown in tropical climates, and...
The transition to a sustainable and low-fossil carbon society requires a variety of investments. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a useful and widely acknowledged tool for comparing the environmental impacts of new and existing technologies to support the decision making. Although the primary rationale for carrying an LCA is to anticipate the consequences of new investment decisions, many LCAs...
[Background]
Individuals' contribution to climate change through day-to-day behavior is rapidly on the rise. To limit further temperature increases, substantial global changes need to occur, including in individuals’ daily behaviors. Smartphone apps can be used to facilitate behavioral changes toward sustainable living by providing individuals with the proper information, tips and strategies,...
Human activity has changed the Earth system to such an extent that recent and currently forming geological deposits include anthropogenic signatures. The planetary change is stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene, which started at the end of the last major glacial epoch. Thus, the Anthropocene has been proposed as a new unit of the geologic time scale dating from the commencement of...
We welcome discussion for Europe-Korea cooperation on Anthropocene researches and the reconstruction of human-environmental interactions.
