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Vernadsky and Biospheral Ecology*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2009

Nicholas Polunin  and
Jacques Grinevald
Nicholas Polunin
Affiliation:
President of the World Council For The Biosphere, Environmental Conservation, Geneva, Switzerland
Jacques Grinevald
Affiliation:
University of Geneva, Institut Universitaire d'Etudes du Développement, 24 rue Rothschild, 1211 Genève 21, Switzerland; Man, Technology and Environment Program, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne.
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Extract

The concept of The Biosphere as the integrated living and life-supporting system comprising the peripheral envelope of planet Earth together with its surrounding atmosphere so far down, and up, as any form of life exists naturally, stems from the writings of V.I. Vernadsky in the 1920s but has only emerged and become widely accepted in the latest decades. Yet it is quite one of the largest and most important entities with which humans have to deal, being, moreover, the only natural habitat and life-support of Mankind and Nature and, as such, needful of safeguarding and healthful maintenance.

No other meaning than the above should be attached to the term Biosphere, the importance of which concept and actuality being such that it should be far more widely known than is currently the case — to which end a small conference was held in 1987 and a larger one is contemplated in 1990 on the theme of Threats to The Biosphere and Imperative Countermeasures.

Other activities on behalf of The Biosphere include the ‘Johnny Biosphere’ media campaign of Dr John R. Vallentyne, those of The World Campaign for The Biosphere and its sponsoring World Council For The Biosphere, and the newly-established [International] Vernadsky Foundation which it is hoped will have, as one of its main objectives, the fostering of due reverence for life in its full Biospheral context.

Type
Main Papers
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , Summer 1988 , pp. 117 - 122
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 1988

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