An Anthropocene Epoch, Event?

In 2000 Crutzen and Stroemer (2000) proposed the concept of a new geological epoch the Anthropocene (C/S-proposal), following the Holocene. The core of the C/S-proposal is the end of a period of climatic homeostasis, the Holocene.

Specifying the Anthropocene as a geological event within the Holocene instead of an epoch introduced at the end of the Geological Time Scale is a geoethical problem. The geoscience communities appear exposed to such an alternative (Bauer et al. 2021).

The current ‘event vs epoch’ quandary implies different geo-philosophical perspectives and has societal repercussions. The scientific foundation of the two alternative geological concepts of an Anthropocene is comparable. Differences arise in how interpreting the science to conceive the respective concept.

Whether conceiving the Anthropocene as an event occurring during the Holocene or as a geological epoch following the Holocene is an assessment of more than geoscientific matters. It is a borderline problem (Renn 2020) from which a particular topic emerges: (1) whether to prioritise a scientific notion (e.g., the geological epoch Anthropocene) because it is scientifically sound and facilitates political and cultural change; or (2) whether to prioritise a scientific notion (e.g., the geological event Anthropocene) because it is scientifically sound and facilitates scientific cooperation. A quandary emerges if both prioritisations are juxtaposed as alternatives, and choosing the preferred geoscientific concept implies valuing extra-scientific matters.

The geoscience communities could sidestep the emerging geoethical problem if the juxtaposition of ‘facilitating political and cultural change’ versus ‘facilitating scientific cooperation’ is avoided, and both societal benefits (valued non-geoscientific matters) could both be obtained. A suggestion to this end is made, namely ending the Geological Time Scale in the historical past. Subsequently, the most recent epoch of the geological past, as described by the Geological Time Scale, the Holocene, would end. This feature would correspond to the initial C/S-proposal, and the AWG findings might specify the Holocene's end date. The geological concept of an event of anthropogenic global change (Anthropocene event) would apply within the Holocene to illustrate how human activity influenced the dynamics of planet Earth. The geological present (informally or formally) named Anthropocene would be understood as disjunct from the geological past.

Hence, a choice seems to be up for the (geological) community, namely, between an Anthropocene event plus the end of the Geological Time Scale (in the historical past) or an Anthropocene epoch for the most recent part of an open-ended Geological Time Scale. Both choices would conform to what a (philosophical) notion ‘Anthropocene’ could label, namely “debate and discussion within and beyond science about human impact of the Earth System, which is the true paradigm shift in our thinking.“ (Maslin and Lewis 2015;  p.7).

Bauer AM, Edgeworth M, Edwards LE, et al (2021) Anthropocene: event or epoch? Nature 597:332–332. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-02448-z
Crutzen PJ, Stroemer EF (2000) The “Anthropocene.” Glob Chang Newsl 41:17–18
Renn J (2020) The Evolution of Knowledge - Rethinking Science for the Anthropocene. Princeton University Press, Oxford, UK
Maslin MA, Lewis SL (2015) Anthropocene: Earth System, geological, philosophical and political paradigm shifts. Anthr Rev 2:108–116. https://doi.org/10.1177/2053019615588791