The geological epoch dating from the commencement of significant human impact on Earth’s ecosystems, as documented in geological evidence.
Using the so-called Orbis Spike as the decisive geological marker, the beginning of the Anthropocene can bet set to the First Globalisation and thus the establishment of colonialism as a global system of exploitation.
Since then, Colonialism and capitalism form a feedback loop and Innovation fuels continuous growth, leading to a Great Acceleration and ultimately Climate and Ecological Breakdown.
Reference
- Wikipedia: “Anthropocene”
- Lewis & Maslin (2018): The Human Planet: How We Created the Anthropocene