ABSTRACT
By all accounts, there is universal consensus that the stresses and demands imposed by society on the ecosphere have far surpassed the capability of the world’s natural resources to regenerate and replenish themselves to meet sustainability requirements. It is contended that there are insufficient resources to meet the continued demands of the present world population, and that collapse of society will inevitably occur. Some of the major factors involved include: (1) loss of biological diversity, (2) increasing discharge of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, (3) loss of soil quality, (4) increasing generation of wastes and pollutants, (5) depletion of nonrenewable natural resources such as fossil fuels, (6) increasing global population, and (7) depletion of natural living resources such as fisheries and forests. Considerable attention is being paid to many of these issues by researchers, policymakers, and other professionals well versed in engineering, scientific, and socioeconomic disciplines to alleviate the stresses to the geosphere and to seek sustainability and ways for society to live in harmony with the environment.
