АУТОР / AUTHOR(S): Michael E. Meadows 
DOI: 10.46793/CSGE5.01ME
САЖЕТАК / ABSTRACT:
The Anthropocene has been much in the news recently as geologists have taken the decision not to formally declare it as a new geological epoch. So, where does this leave us? Is the Anthropocene real? Here, I use examples from China and elsewhere to reflect on the nature and scale of human impact on the global environment and consider the extent to which these have left a universal footprint. This footprint expresses itself in many ways, but I focus here on climate and geomorphology as indicators of the nature and scale of human impact on the Earth system. Moreover, the recent past—and immediate future—is characterized by changes in the frequency and magnitude of hazards that amplify our exposure to environmental risk and increasingly threaten lives and livelihoods. I argue that, irrespective of any scientifically authorized view, the Anthropocene is here, and it is here to stay. Given the ongoing scale of human impact on the Earth’s environment, the term is a valuable symbol of the need for action to save our precious life-support system. Geographers have embraced the concept (even if the Geologists have not) and need to play an important role in addressing the challenges the Anthropocene presents.
КЉУЧНЕ РЕЧИ / KEYWORDS:
Anthropocene; human impact; global environment