Publications

Academic Publications

What does the Anthropocene Mean?

Members the Centre of Excellence for Anthropocene History have contributed to  a newly published comment in Nature on how the idea of the Anthropocene is useful across many disciplines, expert areas and in culture & the arts.

"Even without a formal geological definition, the idea of a major planetary transition dated to the mid-twentieth century remains useful across many disciplines."

Read the full Comment paper with co-signatories (pdf 1.2 MB)  

Online article (with alternate title): Jan Zalasiewicz, Julia Adeney Thomas, Colin N. Waters, Simon Turner & Martin J. Head(2024) The meaning of the Anthropocene: why it matters even without a formal geological definition, Nature 632, 980-984

Laying Waste to the Deep: Parallel narratives of marine carbon dioxide removal and deep-seabed mining

Centre researcher Susanna Lidström has co-authored a piece in Nature's npj Ocean Sustainability journal that warns of potential dangers of "marine carbon dioxide removal" (mCDR), an idea some have proposed as a climate solution.

"The deep ocean is increasingly featured in climate solution discussions. An emerging narrative suggests that marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) is essential to meet global climate targets. The argument made is similar to claims that deep-seabed mining (DSM) is necessary to enable widespread electrification, in that both are framed as helping to address climate change. We compare the structure and history of these narratives, highlighting that while potential negative impacts on marine life have emerged as a central feature in debates about DSM, environmental and social risks associated with mCDR are yet to receive similar recognition. In light of this comparison, we argue that potential harm needs to be further emphasized in considerations of deploying mCDR."

Read the article here:
Lidström, S., Levin, L.A. & Seabrook, S. Laying waste to the deep: parallel narratives of marine carbon dioxide removal and deep-seabed mining , Nature - npj Ocean Sustain 3, 36 (2024). 

Computation, Data and AI in Anthropocene History

Center for Anthropocene History Co-director Adam Wickberg has co-authored an article on how Data and AI play a role in Anthropocene History, not least in efforts at monitoring and managing nature.

"This essay engages with recent scholarship on the epistemology of AI, data and automation, to assert how these practices are becoming increasingly central both to the projects of monitoring and of managing a global environment. We also review Jürgen Renn’s recent contribution The Evolution of Knowledge (2020) in relation to the history of environmental data. Using Renn as point of departure, we stake out a way for understanding the Anthropocene through the interaction between data and environment, taking into account the deeper political implications of datafication. We conclude with discussions about how historians of technology and environment could play an important role in assessing the opportunities and risks of AI for global environmental justice before their full-scale implementation is a fait accompli..."

Read the article here:
A. Wickberg and J. Gärdebo, " Computation, data and AI in Anthropocene history ," History & Technology, pp. 1-19, 2024.

Wider-Audience Publications

Considerations for deep-sea environmental impact research on marine Carbon Dioxide Removal

Centre researcher Susanna Lidström is co author on a newly released policy brief on deep ocean carbon removal.

"The ecology of the deep ocean has been poorly considered and represented in discussion of mCDR and there are many uncertainties about the scale and degree of impacts, which will vary by technology type. The deep ocean is home to diverse and unique species, habitats and ecosystems that play important roles in the carbon cycle and other Earth systems. Special features of deep-sea ecosystems pose unique challenges and require distinct approaches for assessing mCDR consequences. More research is needed on the impacts of any mCDR proposals involving the deep ocean and their efficacy as a potential climate change solution."

Read the article here:
DOSI (2024) “ Considerations for deep-sea environmental impact research on marine carbon dioxide removal ”, Policy Brief, Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative.

The Jury is Still Out on the Question of the Anthropocene

Co-director Adam Wickberg has written a piece for the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, discussing the recent decisons and debates around the Anthropocene as a geological time period, and what the future of the Anthropocene as an idea might be.

"Antropocen är ett begrepp som blivit alltmer spritt sedan det lanserades 2000 som en ny geologisk epok efter holocen. Men forskarna är inte eniga om huruvida tesen om den människoskapade epoken är hållbar, eller i så fall från när dess begynnelse bör räknas..."

A. Wickberg, " Juryn är fortfarande ute i frågan om antropocen ," Dagens Nyheter, vol. 2024-04-13, 2024.