Culture and the Common Management of Global Risks

• Published in: Practicing Anthropology
• Main Authors: Gerlach, Luther, Rayner, Steve
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Informa UK Limited 1988
• Subjects: General Medicine; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.17730/praa.10.3-4.d772535101163884; http://meridian.allenpress.com/practicing-anthropology/article-pdf/10/3-4/15/1858691/praa_10_3-4_d772535101163884.pdf

The Chernobyl disaster of 1985 highlighted a problem of practical importance for all nations, that of managing common technological hazards and common resources across national boundaries in the absence of global government. At the time of the incident, environmental specialists already were discovering how global ecosystems are being put at risk by myriad human activities at the local level. In addition to radiological catastrophe, the catalogue of problems includes the greenhouse effect, transported acid precipitation, desertification, pollution of large groundwater systems, and the environmental consequences of oceanic exploitation. The latest, and perhaps most spectacular, addition to the list is the Antarctic ozone hole.