The Anthropocene as a conceptual tool for education

Abstract

In a world where facts are contested, the conceptual tool of the Anthropocene epoch – that is, the dramatic and clearly demonstrable ways humans have changed the Earth system trajectory since the mid-20th century – provides real value for society in general and for education in particular. As a unifying concept, it helps us (a) understand the transformed bioclimatic conditions in which we live, (b) appreciate how fragile they are, how rapidly they are shifting, and their implications for humanity, and (c) explain the importance of containing climatic, biological, and attendant societal runaway effects, through deeper understanding of the Earth system. The Anthropocene as an educational tool can illuminate the web of connections between these themes, but should remain at arm’s length from calls to action.