Nature without humans. Humans without nature

Abstract

Human systems - societies, economies - exist within those of a larger sphere, a biosphere, or what Antje Liemann refers to as nature. Within the life-support systems that nature affords us, we humans can act; with nature we interact; from it - we extract; and, in the process, we impact. It is obvious of course, that our myriad activities, indeed ourselves would simply not be viable without the favourable conditions that nature presents. We, and all we do, are immensely vulnerable to this sweet spot, this set of natural circumstances that make it just right to survive: just the right temperature, the right amount of water, the right air quality, the right degree of biodiversity...Yet there is a real risk of such conditions changing sufficiently for this comfort zone to be lost. A risk heightened by irreversible climate change, drought and biodiversity collapse. For some, these threats have already materialised and morphed into relocation or forced migration. And Malta could feel this too, positioned as it is to be vulnerable to sea-level change, shortage of rain and migration flows.