Conclusion: The Anthropocene Remade
摘要
This chapter summarizes the analyses presented in this volume, focusing on the Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) executing its specific mandate as a disciplinary working group within the system of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). The AWG employed an interdisciplinary methodology when amalgamating Earth System Science (ESS), geological stratigraphy, and contemporary observational techniques. The key conclusions were presented in October 2023 and subsequently rejected by the IUGS and its Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy (SQS). Concerning broader societal impact and public visibility, the debate sparked by the AWG’s pronouncements attests to far-reaching implications of geological and cultural interpretations of the Anthropocene concept, extending well beyond the disciplinary confines of the geosciences. The concept of the Anthropocene aids in understanding the tectonic shifts associated with Earth’s and global society’s transition beyond the epoch that geology calls the Holocene. In summary, the case of the AWG demonstrates the possibilities and limitations of interdisciplinary cooperation among diverse academic disciplines addressing the transformative impact of the Anthropocene concept toward a post-normal framing of Earth Sciences, including geology.