The age of humankind

The neologism ‘Anthropocene’ used in a geological sense means the ‘age of humankind’ and was coined by Paul Crutzen, a leading climatologist, in 2000.

It refers to an epoch in geological time in which human activity is leading to lasting changes in the environment. Global CO2 emissions are playing a major role in climate change. At certain points (climate tipping points) cascade reactions will take place that may lead to a runaway exacerbation of global warming. In addition, the increasing spread and deposition of microparticles, which have made their way into the food chain, are a threat to all life forms on our planet.