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Understanding Societal Collapse - Lessons from Easter Island and Maya Civilization

Explore the collapse of past societies like Easter Island and Maya due to environmental damage, climate change, and societal responses. Draw parallels with modern unsustainable practices to prevent future collapses.

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Understanding Societal Collapse - Lessons from Easter Island and Maya Civilization

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  1. Sustainable ManagementMetropolia, Business Ethics IP week. 3 Collapse

  2. Collapse • Will our society collapse?

  3. Easter island • Classic example for human-induced environmental disaster. • Famous for 400 Moai statues, 10 meter tall, weighing 75 tonnes

  4. Easter Island geography • 170 km2 • 3700 km form Chile East and 2000 km for Pitcairn Islands west • Discovered in 1722 by Jacob Roggeveen • He found no trees, no animals other than insects, and an impovered, underfed society

  5. Easter Island • 1955 Thor Heyerdahl discovered that Island was covered once with palm forest, total numbers of trees estimated 16 mln. • Population estimated from thousands to 20.000 • First settlers arrived in 1200 AD • Deforestation complete in 1500 AD

  6. Easter Island • Do you see similarities with our current society? • Characteristics: • Closed ecosystem • Sensitive to destruction • Unsustainable practices

  7. From: Collapse • 5 Factors contributed to collapse of societies in the past: • Environmental Damage (never only factor) • Climate Change • Hostile Neighbors • Friendly Trade Partners • Societal Response to Environmental Change (always included)

  8. Maya collapse • Population grew, while resources diminished • Deforestation, hillside erosion, decrease in agricultural land, man-made drought • Increased fighting over diminishing resources • Drought because of climate change • Kings responses were; enrich themselves, engage in wars, erect monuments, compete with other kings, extract food from peasants for soldiers

  9. Development

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