People and Physical Environment, A Global Approach provides an introduction to the main areas of environmental concern for geographers, environmental scientists and planners at the beginning of the twenty- first century. These include: Pollution of the atmosphere and its impact on our climate; The exploitation of the oceans; Management and supply of fresh water; Degradation of the land, and Biodiversity, and the need to maintain genetic diversity. The book argues that our knowledge and understanding of the environment is now so great that we can predict with considerable accuracy where the skills of science and technology need to be focussed in order to prevent severe environmental damage from occurring. Achieving successful management of the environment has become dependent upon active participation of a society prepared to pay for a high quality of life and the willingness of our elected politicians to legislate and enforce the very highest standards of environmental management. INDICE Chapter 1: The Environment Chapter 2: Changing Perceptions of the Environment Chapter 3: Politics and the Management of the Environment Chapter 4: The Atmosphere and the Environment Chapter 5: Environmental (Mis-)Management of Fresh Water Chapter 6: Managing the Oceans Chapter 7: Land Degradation Chapter 8: Why Retain Biodiversity? Chapter 9: Looking Forward to the Next 100 Years