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Journal article

Our future in the Anthropocene biosphere

Humans are the dominant force of change on the planet, giving rise to a new epoch referred to as the Anthropocene. This article provides a systemic overview of the Anthropocene biosphere.

Holger Hoff / Published on 24 March 2021

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Citation

Folke, C., Polasky, S., Rockström, J., Galaz, V., Westley, F., Lamont, M., ... & Walker, B. H. (2021). Our future in the Anthropocene biosphere. Ambio, 1-36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-021-01544-8

The Anthropocene has profound implications for humanity that we are only beginning to fully comprehend. It is now known that society needs to be viewed as part of the biosphere, not separate from it. Depending on the collective actions of humanity, future conditions could be either beneficial for or hostile to human wellbeing in the Anthropocene. This article explores how to respond to such change in a sustainable manner.

The authors discuss the following themes: climate change, biodiversity loss, inequality, global sustainability, science and technological innovation. These interconnected issues illustrate how people and nature are deeply intertwined.

The authors stress that prosperity and wellbeing for present and future generations will require initiatives that understand human actions as part of nature.

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