Addressing the Anthropocene

Abstract

Environmental contextWe are entering an epoch - the Anthropocene - in which human activity is changing the face of the planet. To stabilise climate, we may consider deliberate intervention into Earth's systems, on a global scale. Responsible stewardship requires that we develop a safe, economic and environmentally acceptable means of sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere. AbstractThe Anthropocene is an evolutionary transition to an epoch in which human activity has become one of the most important Earth systems. To successfully navigate this transition, we must develop a fully integrated environmental science that anticipates the responses of the human system alongside other Earth systems. Applying this perspective to climate change, the signature global environmental challenge in the early part of the Anthropocene, we analyse the ongoing failures of climate policy and the prospects for serious investment in technologies to remove CO2 from the atmosphere.