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Gaia: An Atlas of Planet Management
For the first time since its publication in l984, a completely updated and revised edition of this best-selling atlas which brings it into the 1990s, incorporating the new events, issues, and statistics of the past decade.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
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About the author
Norman Myers
46 books2 followersNorman Myers (born 24 August 1934 – 20 October 2019) was a British environmentalist specialising in biodiversity and also noted for his work on environmental refugees. He lived in Kenya for over 30 years and later settled in Headington, Oxford, England. Myers's work has ranged over diverse critical global issues and includes 18 books and over 250 scientific papers [bio sketch copied & shortened from en.wikipedia.org]
https://www.iucn.org/news/species/201...
https://www.iucn.org/news/species/201...
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 18, 2016
Gaia an Atlas of Planet Management edited by Dr. Norman Myers reviewed by H
Dr. Myers is an editor with credentials, having won the World Wildlife Federation gold medal for his conservation work. He proclaims that “this book is the definitive guide to a planet in crucial transition.”
Though several decades out of date it is interesting to see how prescient the contributors were. Here are some selected quotes:
“Humankind can be seen as either the climax of evolution’s course, or as its greatest error. No other creature is a fraction so precocious. No other can think about the world, plan to make it better, and dream of the best possible. Yet no other reveals such capacity for perverse behavior --- for gross misuse of its habitat …In certain senses, humanity is becoming a super-malignancy on the face of the planet…fomenting ultimate crisis…unlike the cancer cell, we are coming to realize the nature of what we are doing. Can we learn fast enough, act soon enough.”
“In the end, or rather in the beginning, we are all plants. Without the green mantle for our planet supplied by over one-third of a million plant species, animal life as we know it (including Homo sapiens) would never have evolved…Some biologists believe that the demise of one plant species may eventually lead to the extinction of up to 30 animal species, as the consequences reverberate up the food chains.”
“Climate is a fragile resource, susceptible to all manner of human intrusions. True, certain Gaian principles help Earth to look after its own. Increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere stimulate plant growth through enhanced photosynthesis, so carbon dioxide will foster a fertilization effect. But the compensatory capacity of Gaia is all too limited for the immediate future.”
A lushly illustrated book, the graphics complement the text and lend themselves to further exploration. The themes, described above, are surprisingly still some of our most important issues. It has been over twenty years since the last edition was published, but I find it disturbingly relevant.
Dr. Myers is an editor with credentials, having won the World Wildlife Federation gold medal for his conservation work. He proclaims that “this book is the definitive guide to a planet in crucial transition.”
Though several decades out of date it is interesting to see how prescient the contributors were. Here are some selected quotes:
“Humankind can be seen as either the climax of evolution’s course, or as its greatest error. No other creature is a fraction so precocious. No other can think about the world, plan to make it better, and dream of the best possible. Yet no other reveals such capacity for perverse behavior --- for gross misuse of its habitat …In certain senses, humanity is becoming a super-malignancy on the face of the planet…fomenting ultimate crisis…unlike the cancer cell, we are coming to realize the nature of what we are doing. Can we learn fast enough, act soon enough.”
“In the end, or rather in the beginning, we are all plants. Without the green mantle for our planet supplied by over one-third of a million plant species, animal life as we know it (including Homo sapiens) would never have evolved…Some biologists believe that the demise of one plant species may eventually lead to the extinction of up to 30 animal species, as the consequences reverberate up the food chains.”
“Climate is a fragile resource, susceptible to all manner of human intrusions. True, certain Gaian principles help Earth to look after its own. Increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere stimulate plant growth through enhanced photosynthesis, so carbon dioxide will foster a fertilization effect. But the compensatory capacity of Gaia is all too limited for the immediate future.”
A lushly illustrated book, the graphics complement the text and lend themselves to further exploration. The themes, described above, are surprisingly still some of our most important issues. It has been over twenty years since the last edition was published, but I find it disturbingly relevant.
September 16, 2015
Profusely illustrated, with charts and graphs galore. Covers a vast amount of info. Overall, a bit discouraging since we haven't made much progress since the book came out.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews