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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Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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2016
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Online Access: | https://research.vu.nl/en/publications/6cf76681-74c9-4920-b291-3e69dda0bb85 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.11.004 https://hdl.handle.net/1871.1/6cf76681-74c9-4920-b291-3e69dda0bb85 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84949476930&partnerID=8YFLogxK http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84949476930&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
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ftvuamstcris:oai:research.vu.nl:publications/6cf76681-74c9-4920-b291-3e69dda0bb85 2024-10-13T14:10:00+00:00 Down to Earth:Contextualizing the Anthropocene Biermann, Frank Bai, Xuemei Bondre, Ninad Broadgate, Wendy Arthur Chen, Chen Tung Dube, Opha Pauline Erisman, Jan Willem Glaser, Marion van der Hel, Sandra Lemos, Maria Carmen Seitzinger, Sybil Seto, Karen C. 2016-07-01 https://research.vu.nl/en/publications/6cf76681-74c9-4920-b291-3e69dda0bb85 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.11.004 https://hdl.handle.net/1871.1/6cf76681-74c9-4920-b291-3e69dda0bb85 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84949476930&partnerID=8YFLogxK http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84949476930&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Biermann , F , Bai , X , Bondre , N , Broadgate , W , Arthur Chen , C T , Dube , O P , Erisman , J W , Glaser , M , van der Hel , S , Lemos , M C , Seitzinger , S & Seto , K C 2016 , ' Down to Earth : Contextualizing the Anthropocene ' , Global Environmental Change , vol. 39 , pp. 341-350 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.11.004 Anthropocene Earth system governance Food security Nitrogen cycle Ocean acidification Urbanization Wildfire /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water name=SDG 14 - Life Below Water /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/sustainable_cities_and_communities name=SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities article 2016 ftvuamstcris https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.11.004 2024-10-03T00:23:17Z 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. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ocean acidification Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU): Research Portal Global Environmental Change 39 341 350 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU): Research Portal |
op_collection_id |
ftvuamstcris |
language |
English |
topic |
Anthropocene Earth system governance Food security Nitrogen cycle Ocean acidification Urbanization Wildfire /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water name=SDG 14 - Life Below Water /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/sustainable_cities_and_communities name=SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities |
spellingShingle |
Anthropocene Earth system governance Food security Nitrogen cycle Ocean acidification Urbanization Wildfire /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water name=SDG 14 - Life Below Water /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/sustainable_cities_and_communities name=SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities Biermann, Frank Bai, Xuemei Bondre, Ninad Broadgate, Wendy Arthur Chen, Chen Tung 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 Earth system governance Food security Nitrogen cycle Ocean acidification Urbanization Wildfire /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water name=SDG 14 - Life Below Water /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/sustainable_cities_and_communities name=SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities |
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. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Biermann, Frank Bai, Xuemei Bondre, Ninad Broadgate, Wendy Arthur Chen, Chen Tung 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 Arthur Chen, Chen Tung 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 |
2016 |
url |
https://research.vu.nl/en/publications/6cf76681-74c9-4920-b291-3e69dda0bb85 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.11.004 https://hdl.handle.net/1871.1/6cf76681-74c9-4920-b291-3e69dda0bb85 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84949476930&partnerID=8YFLogxK http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84949476930&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
genre |
Ocean acidification |
genre_facet |
Ocean acidification |
op_source |
Biermann , F , Bai , X , Bondre , N , Broadgate , W , Arthur Chen , C T , Dube , O P , Erisman , J W , Glaser , M , van der Hel , S , Lemos , M C , Seitzinger , S & Seto , K C 2016 , ' Down to Earth : Contextualizing the Anthropocene ' , Global Environmental Change , vol. 39 , pp. 341-350 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.11.004 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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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1812817120818364416 |