Future Perspectives of Surface Environment and Human Interactions

Human-environment interaction has been there from the very inception of human existence. While the world has experienced different geological and hydro-meteorological hazards over the years, including the prolonged climate change impacts, human activities have affected significantly the surface environment including stresses on ecological resources including water, forests, mountains, and oceans. Due to human interventions including construction of dams and diversion of river courses, there have been significant changes in the sediment transport mechanism in major rivers, which has contributed to river-bank erosion, and flood-related hazards. With the excessive use of water and changing urban lifestyles, there has been significant pressure on underground water. Vegetation and forest cover changes in the upstream have impacted the land cover changes, which initiated landslides and mass movements. To make a proper balance of human interaction and surface environment, it needs sustainable resource management mechanism, which needs a balance of urban and rural lifestyle and resource circulation. This chapter will focus on some of the key observations from previous chapters and will highlight the future direction for sustainable environment.