A human-dominated planet

Contemporary societies, governments, individuals are all facing problems linked directly or indirectly to the functioning of ecological systems. Whatever the reason underlying these problems – be it the necessary use of biological resources, the elimination or recycling of wastes, our inevitable dependence on ecosystem services – neither politics nor ecology can afford to ignore them, and politicians and ecologists must learn to combine forces to solve them. Beyond the banality of such a statement, already made clear by the emergence of green political parties, I would like to open the debate upon the revolutionary perspectives of bringing politics and ecology together, perspectives for ecology as a science and for environmental policies as social practices: basically, it is mankind that is called upon, even called into question. Rather than emphasizing the possible contributions of ecology to solutions for the environmental problems of human societies, my purpose is to question the status of ecology and the behavior of ecologists at the cross-roads in the history of our science. In fact, it is clear that most concepts or paradigms introduced and developed by ecologists appear crucial for anybody concerned with our identity and our future. Moreover, one is struck by how most environmental problems faced by our contemporary society – pollution, degradation of our habitat, loss of biodiversity, the threats of climatic change, claims for a sustainable development – constitute as many challenges to the science of ecology. Is ecology, and are ecologists prepared for these challenges? A human-dominated planet