Environmental Geology

Abstract

In its broadest sense, environmental geology may be defined as the interaction of humans with their environment. Around 50% of the Earth's population live in urban centers, places that cover just 1% of the Earth's surface. The development of these centers, and the increased level of industrialization are putting severe strains on the natural environment. Given that the focus of environmental geology is the interaction of humans with their geological environment and given that the majority of humans live in cities, it follows that environmental geology can be considered as primarily an urban issue, with the most challenging problems occurring within the immediate vicinity of urban centers. The topic can be distilled into the following themes: Natural Resource Exploration and Extraction; considerations of The Built Environment; Waste Management; and the mitigation of Natural Hazards.