Down to Earth: Contextualizing the Anthropocene
The ‘Anthropocene’ is now being used as a conceptual frame by different communities and in a variety of contexts to understand the evolving human–environment relationship. However, as we argue in this paper, the notion of an Anthropos, or ‘humanity’, as global, unified ‘geological force’ threatens t...
Published in: | Global Environmental Change |
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Online Access: | https://repository.publisso.de/resource/frl:6418107 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.11.004 |
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ftleibnizopen:oai:oai.leibnizopen.de:v_U9-IYBdbrxVwz6XipT 2023-05-15T17:50:37+02:00 Down to Earth: Contextualizing the Anthropocene Biermann, Frank Bai, Xuemei Bondre, Ninad Broadgate, Wendy Chen, Chen-Tung Arthur Dube, Opha Pauline Erisman, Jan Willem Glaser, Marion van der Hel, Sandra Lemos, Maria Carmen Seitzinger, Sybil Seto, Karen C. 2015 https://repository.publisso.de/resource/frl:6418107 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.11.004 eng eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Global environmental change, 39:341-350 Anthropocene Food security Ocean acidification Earth system governance Wildfire Urbanization Nitrogen cycle 2015 ftleibnizopen https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.11.004 2023-03-20T00:26:08Z The ‘Anthropocene’ is now being used as a conceptual frame by different communities and in a variety of contexts to understand the evolving human–environment relationship. However, as we argue in this paper, the notion of an Anthropos, or ‘humanity’, as global, unified ‘geological force’ threatens to mask the diversity and differences in the actual conditions and impacts of humankind, and does not do justice to the diversity of local and regional contexts. For this reason, we interpret in this article the notion of an Anthropocene in a more context-dependent, localized and social understanding. We do this through illustrating examples from four issue domains, selected for their variation in terms of spatial and temporal scale, systems of governance and functional interdependencies: nitrogen cycle distortion (in particular as it relates to food security); ocean acidification; urbanization; and wildfires. Based on this analysis, we systematically address the consequences of the lens of the Anthropocene for the governance of social-ecological systems, focusing on the multi-level, functional and sectoral organization of governance, and possible redefinitions of governance systems and policy domains. We conclude that the notion of the Anthropocene, once seen in light of social inequalities and regional differences, allows for novel analysis of issue-based problems in the context of a global understanding, in both academic and political terms. This makes it a useful concept to help leverage and (re-)focus our efforts in a more innovative and effective way to transition towards sustainability. Other/Unknown Material Ocean acidification LeibnizOpen (The Leibniz Association) Global Environmental Change 39 341 350 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
LeibnizOpen (The Leibniz Association) |
op_collection_id |
ftleibnizopen |
language |
English |
topic |
Anthropocene Food security Ocean acidification Earth system governance Wildfire Urbanization Nitrogen cycle |
spellingShingle |
Anthropocene Food security Ocean acidification Earth system governance Wildfire Urbanization Nitrogen cycle Biermann, Frank Bai, Xuemei Bondre, Ninad Broadgate, Wendy Chen, Chen-Tung Arthur Dube, Opha Pauline Erisman, Jan Willem Glaser, Marion van der Hel, Sandra Lemos, Maria Carmen Seitzinger, Sybil Seto, Karen C. Down to Earth: Contextualizing the Anthropocene |
topic_facet |
Anthropocene Food security Ocean acidification Earth system governance Wildfire Urbanization Nitrogen cycle |
description |
The ‘Anthropocene’ is now being used as a conceptual frame by different communities and in a variety of contexts to understand the evolving human–environment relationship. However, as we argue in this paper, the notion of an Anthropos, or ‘humanity’, as global, unified ‘geological force’ threatens to mask the diversity and differences in the actual conditions and impacts of humankind, and does not do justice to the diversity of local and regional contexts. For this reason, we interpret in this article the notion of an Anthropocene in a more context-dependent, localized and social understanding. We do this through illustrating examples from four issue domains, selected for their variation in terms of spatial and temporal scale, systems of governance and functional interdependencies: nitrogen cycle distortion (in particular as it relates to food security); ocean acidification; urbanization; and wildfires. Based on this analysis, we systematically address the consequences of the lens of the Anthropocene for the governance of social-ecological systems, focusing on the multi-level, functional and sectoral organization of governance, and possible redefinitions of governance systems and policy domains. We conclude that the notion of the Anthropocene, once seen in light of social inequalities and regional differences, allows for novel analysis of issue-based problems in the context of a global understanding, in both academic and political terms. This makes it a useful concept to help leverage and (re-)focus our efforts in a more innovative and effective way to transition towards sustainability. |
author |
Biermann, Frank Bai, Xuemei Bondre, Ninad Broadgate, Wendy Chen, Chen-Tung Arthur Dube, Opha Pauline Erisman, Jan Willem Glaser, Marion van der Hel, Sandra Lemos, Maria Carmen Seitzinger, Sybil Seto, Karen C. |
author_facet |
Biermann, Frank Bai, Xuemei Bondre, Ninad Broadgate, Wendy Chen, Chen-Tung Arthur Dube, Opha Pauline Erisman, Jan Willem Glaser, Marion van der Hel, Sandra Lemos, Maria Carmen Seitzinger, Sybil Seto, Karen C. |
author_sort |
Biermann, Frank |
title |
Down to Earth: Contextualizing the Anthropocene |
title_short |
Down to Earth: Contextualizing the Anthropocene |
title_full |
Down to Earth: Contextualizing the Anthropocene |
title_fullStr |
Down to Earth: Contextualizing the Anthropocene |
title_full_unstemmed |
Down to Earth: Contextualizing the Anthropocene |
title_sort |
down to earth: contextualizing the anthropocene |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
https://repository.publisso.de/resource/frl:6418107 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.11.004 |
genre |
Ocean acidification |
genre_facet |
Ocean acidification |
op_source |
Global environmental change, 39:341-350 |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.11.004 |
container_title |
Global Environmental Change |
container_volume |
39 |
container_start_page |
341 |
op_container_end_page |
350 |
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1766157468779413504 |