Carley, Michael and Ian Christy. 1993. "The Ecology of an Industrial Planet" in Managing Sustainable Development. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. (Chapter 1)

Thesis: "Our purpose is to explore the scale of major challenges to sustainable development, to give some idea of their interactions and to set the stage for discussion about how we might improve environmental management" (p. 17).

Summary:

Major Socioeconomic Trends and Sustainable Development:

The trends include population growth, industrialization and the growth of cities, but the authors note that the trends in and of themselves are not negative, it is the magnitude of the changes induced by the changes that is problematic. Further, indications of threshold or carrying capacity do not necessarily present themselves until the condition resembles a crisis (overshoot model).

Major Trends and Consequences:

Population growth and poverty: The authors contend that population growth, environmental degradation and poverty are closely related.

Deforestation: Logging, agriculture, cattle ranching, mining, road and dam construction each contribute to deforestation. The authors make two points: 1) tropical countries have utilized the northern model of converting forest land to agriculture which has resulted in economic advancement for northern countries; 2) the failure of markets and governments in the industrial world have not placed adequate value on the goods and ecological services forests provide and so are responsible for the loss of forests worldwide.

Desertification: Overgrazing and deforestation have contributed greatly to increased desertification in arid and semi-arid regions. Both practices, when mismanaged, reduce vegetative cover resulting in increased soil erosion and desertification.

Salt intrusion: This describes the leaching of salts out of the soil in irrigated fields. This affects water and soil quality in turn reducing the productivity of the region.

Loss of wetlands and valleys: Urban sprawl, tourist development and hydroelectric projects have each contributed to this type of land degradation.

Urbanization: The proportion of humans living in cities has dramatically increased in recent years. Mass urban migration is associated with increases in garbage, public health problems, infrastructure collapse and more.

Industrialization: Associated with urbanization, industrialization contributes to public health problems and high levels of pollution. The authors note, "the combined processes of urbanization and industrialization worldwide are the major cause of urban sprawl, air pollution, water contamination from human and industrial wastes, and of overuse of water resources" (p. 30). Intensification of land use due to population growth, increased automobile use and air pollution are all factors associated with industrialization.

Global climate change: The depletion of the ozone layer coupled with the greenhouse effect have greatly influenced the attention given to climate change.

Keywords: socioeconomic trends, deforestation, desertification, urbanization, industrialization, global climate change