Environmental science is an area of study that seeks to define and describe the changes in the environment over time. It looks into how humans interact with their environment and what the effect is on ecosystems. This is also a branch that studies how human activities affect the environment and how their impact is distributed over various ecosystems. In this case the term environmental is used broadly to cover all living and non living things existing naturally, which means outside of human habitation. The term is often used to describe the Earth or specific regions of the Earth.

One of the main areas of research involves global warming. This has been a problem for many decades, as it has shown no sign of abating despite attempts at mitigation. The main cause of global warming is the release of carbon dioxide and methane as by products of fossil fuel burning, industrial pollution and agricultural emissions. The other major factor is the increase in the concentration of heat around the earth. A major result of this is the increase in global temperatures known as global warming.

There are many theories regarding the relationship between humans and the environment. Most scientists agree that natural systems provide for the maintenance of biodiversity, stability of the environment and serve as a source of food and other natural resources. As people invade and deplete natural resources, their population and economy will decrease, potentially bringing about the loss of natural resources that have sustained the existence of human beings for millions of years. Other theories state that the changes in the global warming theories will lead to a reduction in the sustainability of the natural environment leading to a breakdown of the ecosystem and mass extinction of some species.