Planetary Cybernetics

I was watching a science show the other night about how the greenhouse effect is driving other atmospheric events, one of which is leading to an acidification of the ocean. Scary. Anyway, in talking about it with my friend I suggested that "planetary ecologists" will soon be in high demand (if they aren't already). We made reference to Liet Kynes, the great planetary ecologist in Frank Herbert's classic work of science fiction, 'Dune.'

I was thinking about it later, when I was considering another TV show I have just watched about the approaching property market breakdown and how, with modern commercial risk distribution systems (eg. 'hedge funds'), the ultimate effect of the projected meltdown could have a cascade effect upon other sectors and areas of global economic activity, and how these effects are themselves unpredictable in terms of both scale and their effect.

I was considering how economics and environment are kind of nested together in the real world, and how therefore it will be more than planetary ecology which will be required to pull us out of the shit we soon about to sink in. And about 400ppm of carbon in the atmosphere marks the point of no return (apparently).

It's really the study of process, fractal chaotic interaction of multi cause and multi effect, which is now required. On a planetary scale. Planetary Cybernetics.

Doesn't even exist as a concept, according to Google.