Environmental Science for the Liberal Arts

Environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution, waste, and chemical risks have become increasingly complex and urgent. Although scientific knowledge is essential for understanding these issues, environmental science often remains inaccessible to students and researchers in the social sciences and humanities, where its concepts and mechanisms are perceived as a “black box.” This textbook offers a clear and accessible introduction to environmental science for readers without formal training in mathematics, chemistry, or physics. Avoiding equations and chemical formulas, the book explains environmental processes intuitively, using plain language and visual reasoning to show how human activities interact with natural systems. Readers are guided to understand not only what environmental problems are, but how they arise and what kinds of technical, regulatory, and policy responses are available . The book gives particular attention to climate change, drawing on the latest scientific understanding presented in the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, and examines both its physical basis and the challenges of mitigation and adaptation. It also addresses the growing global concern over plastic pollution, including international negotiations toward a legally binding agreement and Japan’s Plastic Resource Circulation Act. A distinctive feature of this volume is its systematic integration of Japan’s pollution control experience. Through cases ranging from air and water pollution to waste management, contaminated soil, and post-disaster environmental responses, Japan is presented as a lens for understanding broader principles of environmental science and environmental governance.