Science or strategy? Researchers call for transparency over the Anthropocene rejection

Since its introduction in 2000, the concept of the Anthropocene, the idea that human activities are the major driver of Earth systems, has become highly influential throughout society, including in culture, science and law. Yet despite decades of research revealing humanity's influence on the planet, the Anthropocene Working Group's (AWG) proposal of an Anthropocene epoch was ultimately rejected by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) in 2024.