The Anthropocene: Are Humans Now Overwhelming the Great Forces of Nature
Abstract
We explore the development of the Anthropocene, the current epoch in which humans and our societies have become a global geophysical force. The Anthropocene began around 1800 with the onset of industrialization, the central feature of which was the enormous expansion in the use of fossil fuels. We use atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration as a single, simple indicator to track the progression of the Anthropocene. From a preindustrial value of 270-275 ppm, atmospheric carbon dioxide had risen to about 310 ppm by 1950. Since then the human enterprise has experienced a remarkable explosion, the Great Acceleration, with significant consequences for Earth System functioning. Atmospheric CO2 concentration has risen from 310 to 380 ppm since 1950, with about half of the total rise since the preindustrial era occurring in just the last 30 years. The Great Acceleration is reaching criticality. Whatever unfolds, the next few decades will surely be a tipping point in the evolution of the Anthropocene.
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Most dams were built in the past 60 years, at an average of more than one large dam per day, and each will last 50 to 200 years, interrupting sediment transport to the oceans.
“Most dams were built in the past 60 years, at an average of more than one large dam per day ( 8, 9 ), and each will last 50 to 200 years, interrupting sediment transport to the oceans.”
From The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene (2016) · cites this paper as [8]
The 'Great Acceleration' originally identified by Steffen et al. (2007) as a step change in human activity on Earth appears, on current evidence, to be reflected in practically useable stratigraphic markers.
“The 'Great Acceleration' originally identified by Steffen et al. (2007) as a step change in human activity on Earth appears, on current evidence, to be reflected too in practically useable stratigraphic markers, as shown by a number of the studies in Waters et al. (2014a) together with others (e.g.Holtgrieve et al., 2011;Wolfe et al., 2013).”
From When did the Anthropocene begin? A mid-twentieth century boundary level is stratigraphically optimal (2015) · cites this paper as Steffen et al., 2007
Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles have been substantially modified over the last century.
“Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles have been substantially modified over the last century.”
From The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene (2016) · cites this paper as [8]
The inflection point at ~1950 C.E. coincides with the 'Great Acceleration', a prominent rise in economic activity and resource consumption.
“The inflection point at ~1950 C.E. coincides with the 'Great Acceleration' ( 8, 9 ), a prominent rise in economic activity and resource consumption that accounts for the marked mid-20 th century upturns or inceptions in the anthropogenic signals detailed below.”
From The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene (2016) · cites this paper as [8]
Nitrogen and phosphorus in soils have doubled in the past century through increased fertilizer use.
“Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in soils have doubled in the past century through increased fertilizer use ( 8, 9, 48 ).”
From The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene (2016) · cites this paper as [8]
The very different land-use histories produced by different models of Holocene land-use change have major implications for understanding the emergence of humans as a global-scale force transforming climate.
“As a result, the very different land-use histories produced by different models of Holocene land-use change (Figs. 1 and 2) have major implications in understanding the emergence of humans as a global-scale force transforming climate—a key indicator of Earth system transformation and the emergence of the Anthropocene (9–11).”
From Used planet: a global history (2013) · cites this paper as [11]
Scientific research on how complex systems are impacted by human technology and population growth has largely focused on threats to the natural world.
“Yet, scientific research on how complex systems are impacted by human technology and population growth has largely focused on the threats that these pose to the natural world”
From Stewardship of global collective behavior (2021) · cites this paper as [12]
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- Authors
- Steffen, W., Crutzen, P. J., & McNeill, J. R.
- Affiliations
- Australian National University (AU)
- Max Planck Society (DE)
- Venue
- AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment
- Publisher
- Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2007-12
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 614-621
- ISSN
- 0044-7447 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2174670974
- Cited by
- 3,487
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 122 · 2025: 186 · 2024: 243 · 2023: 292 · 2022: 219 · 2021: 350 · 2020: 264 · 2019: 326 · 2018: 324 · 2017: 262 · 2016: 209 · 2015: 213 · 2014: 150 · 2013: 127 · 2012: 69
- FWCI
- 17.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- AMBIO (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ANU Open Research (Australian National University) (submittedVersion)
- BioOne Complete (BioOne) (submittedVersion)
- Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Climate Change and Environmental Impact
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Earth Systems and Cosmic Evolution
- Keywords
- Anthropocene, Great Acceleration, industrialization, fossil fuel consumption, atmospheric CO2, CO2 concentration, tipping points, anthropogenic impacts
- MeSH terms
- Environment, Humans, Industry, Earth, Planet, Nature
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