|
31
Y O U T H A N D C L I M A T E C H A N G E
2 0 1 8 E D I T I O N
Enter the Anthropocene
That is the name geologists have given our current epoch, during which, for
the first time in Earth's history, "human activity now rivals geological forces
in influencing the trajectory of the Earth System."* The Anthropocene is
characterized by rapid and unprecedented shifts in the conditions supporting life
on our planet, foremost among them the introduction of greenhouse gases into
the atmosphere. Those shifts themselves are ominous, but even more worrying
are the feedbacks, or tipping points, that they may trigger, like the release of
methane from the melting of permafrost, and the loss of carbon sinks due to
forest die-back. North Americans are observing what this means in the Summer
of 2018, when yet another season of historic forest fires becomes one of the
primary sources of greenhouse gases. And emissions are by no means the only
concern: in addition to the extensive loss of forest ecosystems and livelihood
for forest-based rural and Aboriginal communities, for several days during the
Summer of 2018, youth Team members in Edmonton and Calgary experienced
some of the worst air quality on the globe.
Source: Steffen et al. 2018. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 15(33): 8252-59.
Satellite image of smoke from over 500 forest fires in British Columbia, August 2018.
