Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
1
Introduction
1.1 Avoiding societal collapse
Jared Diamond
s case studies of failed civilisations provide several exam-
ples of societies whose collapse was due, in part, to a deterioration in the
condition of the ecosystems that supported them.
1
Each case study follows
a similar pattern.
2
The functioning of ecosystems on which the society
depended was impaired through exploitation that exceeded their carrying
capacities or through other disturbances (e.g., deforestation) that funda-
mentally altered the nature of the system. Resulting shortages of food,
water and other essential materials brought famine, con
'
ict and, ulti-
mately, the breakdown of once-complex societal structures. The collapsed
societies that Diamond describes operated only at local to regional scales,
but all human societies are now faced with the threat of collapse in their
support base due to a global deterioration in ecological conditions.
3
As
with the historical instances of failure that Diamond studies, this is due to
unsustainable levels of resource exploitation and disturbance. However,
these are of such magnitude that all of the world
s ecosystems are being
damaged by them. The situation is exacerbated by anthropogenic climate
change, another common contributory factor that Diamond identi
'
es to
the demise of societies (although past instances of this occurred natu-
rally),
4
and one which is already affecting the structures and functioning
of ecosystems everywhere.
As Diamond observes, an example can be found for every instance of
societal collapse of a society that was able to overcome dif
cult environ-
mental problems and survive.
5
He includes the ability of societies to
respond to their problems effectively as one of
ve factors that can make
the difference between their survival and demise when confronted by
