Description: The rapidly increasing human pressure on the biosphere is pushing biodiversity into the sixth mass extinction event in the history of life on Earth. The organisms being exterminated are integral working parts of our planet's life support system, and their loss is permanent. Like climate change, this irreversible loss has potentially devastating consequences for humanity. As we come to recognise the many ways in which we depend on nature, this can pave the way for a new ethic that acknowledges the importance of co-existence between humans and other species. Biological Extinction features chapters contributed by leading thinkers in diverse fields of knowledge and practice, including biology, economics, geology, archaeology, demography, architecture and intermediate technology. Drawing on examples from various socio-ecological systems, the book offers new perspectives on the urgent issue of biological extinction, proposing novel solutions to the problems that we face.
Brief description: Partha Dasgupta is the Frank Ramsey Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Cambridge, Chair of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge. He was knighted in 2002 for his services to economics, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society, Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences, and Member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. He won the Volvo Environment Prize in 2002, the Blue Planet Prize in 2015 and the Tyler Prize in 2016.
Review Quotes: 'This volume provides an informative reference for policy makers and practitioners, offering new perspectives on biological extinction that adopt principles of social justice and sustainability.' R. A. Delgado, Jr, Choice