The Anthropos Expansion and the Anthropocene

The Anthropocene has recently been rejected as a formal geological time unit, reigniting debate about its definition and significance. Should it now be repurposed as an informal term, for instance as a geological event or episode, or should it be resubmitted with additional evidence? Perhaps, in addition to a resubmission, another term can fill the gap to describe the long-term geological impact of humans leading up to the Anthropocene: The Anthropos Expansion.

Prof. Dr. Mark Lawrence is scientific director at the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) at the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences. He addresses the Anthropocene in an integrative manner, bringing together a wide range of academic expertise in his team and involving societal actors in a transdisciplinary research approach.

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Tobias Krüger, IRI THESys Director, Professor of Hydrology and Society, Geography Institute of Humboldt-Universität.