In our era of climate breakdown and changing landscapes, Environmental and Earth Sciences are critical to the safeguarding of our planet. They help us understand how our environments are changing and what can be achieved to reduce the ecological damage being done globally.

In this article, we’ll be giving the spotlight to the field of Environmental and Earth Sciences and the MDPI publications advancing knowledge within this vital area of study.

What are Environmental and Earth Sciences?

Environmental and Earth Sciences are the study of the Earth and its natural systems, or ‘spheres’. These spheres include land, water, air, and living things.

What Environmental and Earth Sciences emphasize is the interconnectedness of these spheres. Each sphere exists in a complex relationship with the other spheres. For example, rain is part of the hydrosphere and interacts with the geosphere when it enters the soil, creating the conditions for life in the biosphere to grow.

Like human relationships, however, these relationships are fragile.

Climate change

The biggest threat we face as a species is climate change. But what exactly is climate change? Simply, climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures. These shifts in temperature cause the delicate connections between the Earth’s natural systems to destabilize and degrade.

Although natural variations in temperatures can have an impact on the global climate, human activity and man-made emissions are the leading causes of climate change. Despite this widely recognized phenomenon, we are still heading towards climate breakdown. 2024 was the first year on record to pass the 1.5°C warming threshold that was established in 2015 in the Paris Agreement.

The cultural and political changes that need to be made are drastic. However, scientific research continues to progress. And with that progress, hope remains that we can face the upcoming changes with the best possible solutions and tools.

The importance of Environmental and Earth Sciences

Scientific research is our best hope for making accurate predictions and addressing the issues arising from climate change. MDPI is an active advocate for and leading voice in Environmental and Earth Sciences research. To give an insight into current research tackling issues of sustainabulity and climate change, let’s take a look at some of MDPI’s publications that focus on this vital subject area.

Transitioning to Sustainability (Book Series)

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were established by the United Nations to promote prosperity for both people and the planet. Naturally, a lot of the goals strive towards the preservation of ecological environments such as our oceans and forests.

As a reflection of the UN’s SDGs, the MDPI Book Series “Transitioning to Sustainability” takes an interdisciplinary approach to exploring each goal and any adjacent research in-depth.

One volume in the Book Series, “Transitioning to Sustainable Cities and Communities” (ed. by Hubert Klumpner, Klearjos Eduardo Papanicolaou, and Georgeen Theodore), explores SDG11. The objective of SDG11 is to create ‘safe, affordable and resilient cities with green and culturally inspiring living conditions.’

But how do we realize that? Klumpner et al. propose the idea of an ‘Urbanizing Earth.’ An Urbanizing Earth is one in which we as a species, in our age of ever-expanding cities, promote a harmonious balance between urban development and the natural environment. Ultimately, culture and design are human elements to be celebrated; yet they must also respect and support wildlife and ecosystems.

Five Insights for Avoiding Global Collapse (Monograph)

To stop further damage from climate change, we must change our collective behavior as a species. Business as usual simply won’t suffice.

“Five Insights for Avoiding Global Collapse” by Gaya Herrington teaches us the systemic changes we can make to produce a more sustainable and ethical way of living together on our planet. The idea of growth as we understand it today comes under critique in the book. As a philosophy and systemic model, economic growth relies on the depletion of our Earth’s natural resoruces to sustain it. Growth, according to Herrington, is the cause of our issues, not the solution. And pursuing it is no longer feasible.

Ultimately, we need to focus on changing our mindset when it comes to what we value most. This means fostering a healthier relationship with our environment and focusing more on personal and communal welfare. By doing so, we move away from a culture that prioritizes unsustainable economic growth to one that emphasizes the growth of our livelihoods and mental well-being alosngside a healthy ecosystem.

Importantly, Herrington writes her book in a way that is easy to follow and understand. Data from Environmental and Earth Sciences studies can be hard to communicate to the general public. Not only that, but there is an overabundance of information to absorb. Herrington’s book proves to be crucial in communicating simply and effectively the dangers of continuing our current course.

The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health (Reprint)

To let climate change continue its current trajectory will only increase the risk to human life in the short- and long-term.

“The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health” (ed. by Clare Heaviside) is a Special Issue Reprint investigating the profound effects of environmental degradation and socio-economic changes driven by climate change on human health.

One essay in the collection highlights the issue of heat-related mortality. In South West Germany in the summers of 2003 and 2015, daily mortality anomalies reached +70% and +56%, respectively. Crucially, the study says that comparable heatwaves are now expected to occur every second summer through to the 2050s. In addition to increased mortalities and heat stress, productivity levels are also set to worsen under climate change.

So how do we move forward? Mitigation and adaption are key. However, any policy decisions must ensure economic benefits in addition to minimizing the risk of unintended consequences, especially for vulnerable populations and lower- and middle-income countries.

The Impact of Climate Change on Vulnerable Populations (Edited Book)

The issue of protecting vulnerable populations in the context of climate change is especially pertinent in this next book.

“The Impact of Climate Change on Vulnerable Populations” (ed. by Debra D. Joseph and Roshnie A. Doon) reveals how vulnerable communities experience the threat of climate change to a greater degree than others. Extreme weather conditions, such as droughts in countries like Africa, exacerbate preexisting social inequalities, affecting food security and increasing disease risk.

Elsewhere in the world, particularly in coastal regions such as those of Spain and the Mediterranean, communities including farmers, fisherfolk, and indigenous groups are more likely to experience economic instability due to climate change, especially if these regions heavily rely on tourism or agriculture.

The implementation of climate change policies by international organisations such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) aims to benefit vulnerable populations. However, the book draws attention to how the policy literature does not give enough attention to the specific needs and experiences of various vulnerable populations. Adaption, mitigation, and governance policies are all well and good. But we must do more to protect the unique living conditions and histories of vulnerable populations. The study of Environmental and Earth Sciences is just the start.

How open access aligns with climate strategies

All the research in this article is open access. Open access remains one of our best tools in the fight against climate change.

Initiatives such as Horizon Europe hope to utilize open access to facilitate and strengthen research and innovation. One of the initiative’s missions is to support EU regions in developing new technologies and experimenting with innovative solutions to adapt to climate change.

Here at MDPI Books, we recognize the importance of supporting the shift towards making scientific research accessible to all and advancing the knowledge base for Environmental and Earth Sciences. In addition to the research already discussed, we have lots of other Open Access Reprints exploring the issue of climate change through various interdisciplinary approaches.

Environmental and Earth Sciences competition

Want to publish your own Open Access Book within the field of Environmental and Earth Sciences? MDPI Books is delighted to announce a new publishing initiative supporting researchers working within the Environment & Earth Sciences (EES). Through this competition, selected book proposals will receive full editorial support and a complete waiver of Book Processing Charges (BPCs), enabling open access publication at no cost to the author(s).

For more information on the competition and how to submit, see our announcement post.