Global Negative Effects of the Technological Change on Human Health: The High Incidence of Cancers in the Anthropocene

Abstract

Interesting problems for the studies of the Anthropocene are the analysis of effects of the predominant impact of human activities on ecosystems and population. This study considers the technological change as the human activity that generates a huge impact on ecosystems and also causes environmental disorders in human societies. In particular, technical change supports the industrialization and human development, which by population growth, mass production and consumption, and resources depletion, engenders anthropogenic environmental change and pollution of ecosystems conducive to carcinogens. A main effect of this critical impact of the human activity, by technological change, on ecosystems is the high cancer incidence of population living in industrialized areas. Statistical evidence endeavours to explain and generalize, whenever possible the global interaction between technological development, ecosystems and health of human population.

Keywords: Anthropocene, Pollution, Technology, Technical Change, Human Health, Industrialization, Cancer, Human Development

JEL Classification: O14, O33, Q50, Q51, Q53