Riscos atmosféricos mistos

Abstract

This contribution seeks to identify some of the threats posed by the atmosphere that can directly or indirectly cause severe loss and damage to human populations as they are currently distributed on planet Earth. Of the various risks we chose two that are widely discussed socially and scientifically and two others that are less appreciated and have scarcely been considered in the prevention plans. The first two risks concern the modification of the chemical composition of the atmosphere, namely, the worsening of the greenhouse effect and the depletion of the ozone layer widely reported in the media. The other two concern the fall of meteorites and the risks caused by space research. We conclude that the gaseous envelope that surrounds us is vital, but that despite being increasingly observed, it is still a target whose behaviour surprises us with its complexity and thus often inhibits the anticipation and prevention of risks.