GREENPACT Recap: Anthropocene – we are already there
The keynote speakers at the inaugural GREENPACT European ESG Summit included many prominent representatives of science and business. One of the experts invited was Professor Jan Zalasiewicz from the University of Leicester – a top name in global geology, winner of the Ig Nobel Prize for his work ‘Why geologists lick rocks’ and a leading advocate of the Anthropocene theory. While waiting for the next edition of the congress, we encourage you to familiarise yourself with the key conclusions from Professor Jan Zalasiewicz's lecture, ‘The Anthropocene – we are already there’.
The Anthropocene is a concept referring to the major changes to the environment caused by human activity on Earth. In his speech, Jan Zalasiewicz repeatedly referred to one of the key issues – The Great Acceleration. The aforementioned phenomenon describes the tremendous acceleration that has occurred as a result of human activity, both in socio-economic trends and ecological alterations.
On a daily basis, Jan Zalasiewicz chairs the working group on the Anthropocene. As he points out, the Anthropocene is also evident geologically: It is distinct from the Holocene as the change is rapid. Temperature and other geological trends are fundamentally different. From horizontal lines in the Holocene to vertical lines in the Anthropocene – all the graphs have changed. Anthropogenic imprints are crucial. The researcher stressed that defining the true Anthropocene is controversial, but it is our very own reality
Physical evidence: new materials
- Since the early Proterozoic era, there have been 5,000 minerals on Earth. Currently, there are more than 200,000 synthetic mineral compounds. Most of them have been created since 1950. Five billion years of mineral history compared to the last 70 years. Some examples: pure aluminium – now in geological quantities. Plastics – a new type of ‘mineraloid’. Synthetic plastics are now also present in geological quantities. And they are still growing. That’s enough plastic to wrap the Earth twice in foil. It’s becoming part of the environment.
The new rocks: since 1950, the production of sediments has increased exponentially. Finally, concrete: the dominant type of rock on Earth. Currently, there is 1 kg of concrete per square metre of the Earth's surface, land and sea, as presented by Jan Zalasiewicz. However, he added that this is not the only evidence of the existence of the Anthropocene: - The warming of the oceans: the thermal imbalance of the Earth is equivalent to pouring more than a billion cups of tea into the sea every second. The impact on global ice is inevitable. Sea levels are rising, currently accelerating after almost perfect stability for at least 3,000 years. The flooding of low-lying coastlines by the sea is now ‘locked in’.
The trajectory of mass extinction
The researcher pointed out that, in addition to persistent organic pollutants, which are visible in lakes, for example, we are also on a fast track towards the mass extinction of many animal species. Although this does not yet pose a direct threat, we are rapidly heading in that direction.
Taking all of the above factors into account, the Anthropocene Earth system shows a profound (and growing) departure from the long-term stability of Holocene boundary conditions. The Earth is becoming hotter, more polluted and biologically impoverished. Many changes are already irreversible. Geologically, the Anthropocene is very distinct and represents a major change in the history of our planet.