State of the Environment Report 2007
Fundamental pressures are the broad factors that cause environmental change; namely population growth, consumption of natural resources and climate change. These pressures are driven by collective and individual attitudes, values and behaviours that in turn shape characteristics of human societies and the way people interact with the environment. They are the underlying causes of most environmental issues outlined in the 2007 State of the Environment Report.
Human activities are now so extensive that all ecosystems on the planet have been modified to some extent. In the rapid cultural evolution of humans, most societies have become physically and psychologically detached from the natural environment. Humans have established institutions (such as financial markets, government structures and social networks) and developed technologies to further social and economic wellbeing. This has led to an over use of natural resources (e.g. wood production, water supplies, fisheries, land for agriculture) and resulted in the dramatic modification of many of the Earth's ecosystems (Costanza & Farber, 2002). Large-scale changes in natural systems, including the global climate system, are occurring as a result. Population growth and consumption of natural resources are central to the nature and scale of these impacts.
How we respond, as a society, in managing these fundamental pressures will affect the health of the natural environment on which humanity depends.
