Cultural evolution and the human predicament.
For decades, scientists have been calling for action to halt environmental degradation, and there has been a substantial (but variable) response from the ecological and evolutionary research communities. Nonetheless, the degradation continues more rapidly than ever, by almost any biophysical measure. Here I briefly summarize and frame the situation, and suggest some major research thrusts for our community to accelerate the needed cultural responses, given that accumulating human impacts could threaten the collapse of global civilization.
Ehrlich
Paul R
PR
Center for Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5020, USA. pre@stanford.edu
D005075:Biological Evolution; D003468:Cultural Evolution; D054750:Ecotoxicology; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D006801:Humans