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A brief background

  • Writer: EcoMetrologia
    EcoMetrologia
  • Sep 10, 2021
  • 7 min read

Technical-scientific evolution, mediated by Industrial Revolutions, provided society with sufficient conditions to occupy the globe significantly. Currently, the world population reaches about 7 billion individuals, distributed in the most different climatic and biogeographic conditions. However, population growth has intensified the use of natural resources, renewable and non-renewable, and the production of waste. Naturally, anthropogenic inflows and outflows have altered ecosystem conditions, affecting the thermodynamic balance of the planet (Brondizio et al., 2016; Ellis, 2015; Ellis et al., 2013; Ellis et al., 2013; Ellis, Antill & Kreft, 2012; Ellis, 2011; Ellis et al., 2010; Rodrigues et al., 2008).

In this sense, global climate change has a strong correlation with the anthropization of natural environments and with the global industrialization process. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2018) points out that these two factors are intensifying the increase in the global thermal amplitude. According to the same source, the changes generated by this variation significantly affect biogeochemical cycles, disturbing planetary resilience (Buschbacher, 2014; Edenhofer et al., 2014; Blanco et al., 2014; Hegerl et al., 2010; Marengo & Valverde, 2007; Weyant et al., 1996).

In addition, Rockstrom et al. (2009) present that the intensification of industrial and anthropic processes is a historic landmark for planet Earth. Delanty (2018) and Lewis & Maslin (2015) point out that the Anthropocene represents a new Geological Era, understood as the Era of Humans (figure 1). The engines of this transformation, which intensified with the Industrial Revolutions, according to the same author, are: climate change, ocean acidification, changes in the ozone layer, increases in the phosphorus and nitrogen cycles, the availability of drinking water, changes in land use, loss of biodiversity, chemical pollution and increased use and dumping of aerosols into the atmosphere (Brondizio et al., 2016; Steffen et al., 2015; Ellis, 2014; Ellis et al., 2016; al., 2013; Ellis, 2011).


Figure 1: Geological Ages – Timeline

Source: the author.

These engines, which drove geological change, are critical elements for maintaining planetary resilience. By exceeding the limits established for each of them, the system enters thermodynamic imbalance, making the cycling of elements difficult and directly influencing human and environmental health (Steffen et al., 2015; Rockstrom et al., 2009). Therefore, it became imperative to control, minimize and mitigate the increase in these indicators, ensuring a safe environment for the survival of humanity and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals established within the scope of the United Nations (UN BRAZIL, 2020; Ellis, 2015; Defries et al., 2012; Egler, 2012; Marengo, 2007; Folke, Olsson & Norberg, 2005).

This is the path that Environmental Sciences have been working on. Intuiting to maintain the planet's resilience and the survival and perpetuation of the hominid genus, efforts converge towards the adequacy of the use of spaces and natural resources. Both efforts reflect actions that are framed within the land use planning. Thus, the development and application of technologies and tools that assist in this planning are increasingly needed (Calvin et al., 2019; Wang et al., 2019; Chuai & Feng, 2019; Iwasaka, 2018; Fu et al., 2016; Magliocca et al., 2015; Krey et al., 2014; Ellis, 2004).


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