Anthropocene and its Impact on Environment Policy Design

This essay discusses the concept of Anthropocene and its impact on environment policy design. It explores the changes in the environment caused by human activities and the need for government intervention to protect natural habitats.

Environment and Policy
Essay

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Environment refers as the surrounding and conditions in which a person, plant and animal
lives or operates. The natural environment includes all living and non-living things that occurring
naturally i.e. not artificial in nature. The term has direct relation with the aspect of earth or its
related some parts. This involves the interaction in between the living species, climate, weather
and natural resources that has significant level of impact over the activity of human survival and
economic activity. The study about the environment is important from the point of determining
impact of human activities upon natural conditioning. This provides an opportunity regarding
ascertainment of human activities level that hinder and eliminate the natural growth of
environment (Carrington, 2016). In current period of time, the interference of human with nature
is par beyond to the limit. This would be the reason that now environment consists lots of
inappropriate properties which will be not adequate for future human life along with other living
creatures. This resultant into the lots of issues such as climate change, improved number of
diseases, hike in natural calamities and elimination of many different species and creatures. In
the direction of preventing earth and environment, government intervention is important at
worldwide level with the aid of creating policies for governing the activities of human beings.
These bring the restriction upon human functionalities where they deprived from harming natural
habitats in any manner. If they do some kind of acts, then have to face the negative consequences
where provision is present from the penalty to imprisonment. The point discussed in this essay is
about determining the situation of Anthropocene on earth and its impact over environment policy
design.
The aspects going to cover in essay includes understanding about the term and situation of
Anthropocene, different instances that prove the presence of Anthropocene along with the impact
have had upon earth, current environment policy design to protect the natural habitat and the
impact of Anthropocene situation on environmental policy design.
MAIN BODY
The environment implies characteristic world and its environmental factors such as the air,
the water and the earth. Further, environment alludes to the encompassing (both living and non-
living) of the livings species. The people, plants, creatures and other living creatures work in the
environment. The natural habitat incorporates all living and non-living things that happening
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normally for example not non-natural in nature. The term has direct connection with the part of
earth or its related few sections. This includes the collaboration in the middle of the living
species, atmosphere, climate and normal assets that has noteworthy degree of effect over the
movement of human endurance and financial action. Our environment has majorly two main
components which are known as biotic and abiotic factors. Biotic factors are considered as the
form of life that exist in environment whereas abiotic aspects that those that merely present
within an environment. Apart from these, the aspects which are present within an environment
and playing an important role towards the direction of maintaining life includes lithosphere,
hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere, corresponding rocks, water, air and life respectively.
The overall environment is also further known as ecosystem. This encompasses five main
components which are basic to survive or living normal life includes mineral nutrients, energy,
oxygen, water and living organisms. The large amount of energy in this ecosystem comes from
the sun. The safety of all such determinants is the prime duty of all for continuing the point of
life at planet i.e. Earth (Chakrabarty, 2018).
Natural environment is totally different the one which is man-made. The aspects which are
covering under main man-made environment includes, urban settings, infrastructure, cities,
industries etc. The large amount of interference of human beings and man-made actions is the
reason that natural environment is lacking from their own important properties. This resultant
into many negative creations and impacts such as climate change, increment in number of
diseases and natural calamities, high amount of pollution, depletion of ozone layer etc. The
excessive nature of interference not only impacts environment, plants and other living creatures
but also have negative impact over the life of humans too. There is situation of water lacking at
global level where significant amount of water is not present to fulfil the basic needs of human.
This is the most essential determinant of life without which never thought about the life on a
plant or at an environment. The level of pollution also effects the ability to consume fresh air or
oxygen. This would be the reason that there are many respiratory related diseases are existing
due to which thousands of people die at global level. In current period of time, there is huge need
that humans think twice about their actions as the money is not the only requirement to live
healthy life. There is no value of such materialistic things in the life if not able to safeguard the
natural determinates that are important in direction of sustaining life within an environment
(Davies, 2016).
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The examination about the earth is significant from the purpose of deciding effect of human
exercises upon regular moulding. This gives an open door with respect to ascertainment of
human exercises level that obstruct and dispense with the characteristic development of
condition. In current time-frame, the obstruction of human with nature is standard past as far as
possible. This would be the cause that now condition comprises bunches of unseemly properties
which will be not sufficient for future human life alongside other living animals. This resultant
into the bunches of issues, for example, environmental change, improved number of ailments,
climb in common catastrophes and end of a wide range of animal varieties and animals. Toward
forestalling earth and condition, government intercession is significant at overall level with the
guide of making arrangements for administering the exercises of people. These brings the
limitation upon human functionalities where they denied from hurting common environments in
any way (Hamilton, 2017). In the event that they do any kind of such demonstration, at that point
need to confront the negative outcomes where arrangement is available from the punishment to
detainment. There are many environmental policies and guidelines to protect the environment
and its natural determinants which are non-renewable in nature and important in the direction of
sustaining life on Earth. These polices were framed for the prevention of water, air, noise
pollution along with limiting the depletion or usage of natural resources. Here, motivation is
provided over the usage of renewable resources in fulfilling the basic needs of life. This will help
in future to protect the environment and its resources along with combating the situation of
climate change from environment. The benefit of this will be must ascertained as healthy
lifestyle, lack in number of diseases, appropriate amount of natural determinants and long term
sustained life on planet or Earth.
The Anthropocene Epoch is an informal unit of geologic time, used to depict the latest time
frame in Earth's history when human action began to significantly affect the planet's atmosphere
and biological systems. Earth's history is isolated into a various levelled arrangement of littler
lumps of time, alluded to as the geologic time scale. These divisions, in plunging time span, are
called ages, times, periods, epochs and ages.
These units are grouped dependent on Earth's stone layers, or strata, and the fossils found
inside them. From looking at these fossils, researchers realize that specific creatures are normal
for specific pieces of the geologic record. The investigation of this relationship is called
stratigraphy (Johnson and et al., 2017).
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Authoritatively, the present age is known as the Holocene, which started 11,700 years’
prior after the last significant ice age. Be that as it may, the Anthropocene Epoch is an informal
unit of geologic time, used to depict the latest time frame in Earth's history when human action
began to significantly affect the planet's atmosphere and biological systems. The word
Anthropocene is gotten from the Greek words anthropo, for "man," and cene for "new,"
instituted and made famous by scientist Eugene Stormer and scientific expert Paul Crutzen in
2000.
Researchers despite everything mockery whether the Anthropocene is not the same as the
Holocene, and the term has not been officially embraced by the International Union of
Geological Sciences (IUGS), the universal association that names and characterizes ages. The
essential inquiry that the IUGS needs to reply before pronouncing the Anthropocene an age is if
people have changed the Earth framework to the point that it is reflected in the stone layers. To
those researchers who do think the Anthropocene portrays another land timeframe, the following
inquiry is, when did it start, which additionally has been broadly discussed. A mainstream
hypothesis is that it started toward the beginning of the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s, when
human action greatly affected carbon and methane in Earth's air (Keys and et al., 2019). Others
believe that the start of the Anthropocene ought to be 1945. This is when people tried the main
nuclear bomb, and afterward dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. The
subsequent radioactive particles were distinguished in soil tests all inclusive. In 2016, the
Anthropocene Working Group concurred that the Anthropocene is not quite the same as the
Holocene, and started in the year 1950 when the Great Acceleration, a sensational increment in
human action influencing the planet, took off.
Now, the time in which humans live is refer as the Anthropocene. The main reason behind
is the influence of human upon overall environment in many forms. People have become the
absolute most persuasive species on earth, making huge an unnatural weather change and
different changes land, condition, water, living beings and the air. It is broadly acknowledged
that our species, Homo sapiens, has had such a critical effect on Earth and its occupants that we
will have an enduring - and conceivably irreversible - impact on its frameworks, condition,
procedures and biodiversity. The Earth is 4.5 billion years of age, and current people have been
around for around a negligible 200,000 years. However, in that time humans have in a general
sense modified the physical, chemical and natural frameworks of the planet on which each and
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every single other living being depend. In the previous 60 years specifically, these human effects
have developed at a phenomenal rate and scale. This period is here and there known as the Great
Acceleration. Carbon dioxide outflows, a worldwide temperature alteration, sea fermentation,
environment demolition, annihilation and wide-scale normal asset extraction are on the whole
signs that we have fundamentally changed our planet (Steffen and et al., 2018).
It is cleared from the above description and understanding about the aspect of
Anthropocene that human beings are becoming the reason for change in environment along with
it would be correct to say or recognize the current period as Anthropocene. At present, the scope
of Anthropocene is vast where different kind of instances were occurred and still occurring with
rapid rate within an environment due to the performance of numerous acts over the period of
time by human beings. This has negative impact over an environment where large number of
issues created that includes climate change, ozone depletion, high level of water and air pollution
and extinction of many living species. All these issues are the main reason behind the occurrence
of inappropriate instances within an environment like Australian bushfire, flood in global arena
and other numerous natural calamities. All the different acts which were performed and still
performing by human beings and resulted into the negative impact over an environment are
defined below in detailed form;
Anthropocene and industrial revolution: A few people recommend the Anthropocene
started toward the beginning of Britain's Industrial Revolution in the eighteenth century, which
made the world's first petroleum product economy. Consuming the natural carbon in petroleum
derivatives empowered enormous scope creation and drove the development of mines,
production lines and factories (Tucker and et al., 2018). From that point forward, different
nations have stuck to this same pattern. Interest for coal has expanded, alongside carbon dioxide
outflow, to the impediment of the earth. Others contend that the Anthropocene started far before,
when people started cultivating. Significantly more individuals propose it unfolded in 1950,
when atomic weapons cast radioactive components over the globe. The radioactive flotsam and
jetsam from atomic bombs advanced into rocks, trees and the climate - they may speak to the
brilliant spike that researchers are scanning for. As of now there is no reasonable agreement.
Note that a few nations, districts, networks and enterprises have added to planetary
contamination and environmental change more than others. Industrialized and post-modern
social orders have delivered relatively a bigger number of outflows and utilize a greater number
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of assets than creating nations. The continuous rise in industrial functions leads the both air and
water pollution. The emission of harmful gases becomes the reason of ozone depletion and
extreme weather change like increase in the normal temperature of earth. This also leads the
water pollution where some industries eliminate their wastages in water.
Anthropocene and plastic pollution: Plastic could turn into a key marker of the
Anthropocene. Earth is presently flooded with plastic - a large number of tons are created each
year. Since plastic doesn't biodegrade, it winds up littering soils and sea beds. There is as of now
some proof that plastic is being kept into the fossil record. A 2019 investigation of residue off the
Californian coast found that plastic stores have been ascending since the 1940s. Plastic
contamination is another marker that researchers are concentrating to see if they could be the
brilliant spike, the signifier of the Anthropocene. This resultant into the large amount of water
and air pollution where its decomposition releases carbon gases in atmosphere (Van Loon and et
al., 2016).
These human actions defined above were the main reason behind the occurrence of many
instances like Australian bushfire, flood in global arena and other numerous natural calamities
that clearly depicts that environment was unable to handle the negative reaction over their natural
properties. The detailed explanation of these along with cause behind their occurrence is defined
below:
Australian bushfire: The recent incident of bushfire in Australia was one of the example
that how the change in environment reacted negatively and affects the life of others. This fire
was the cause of high temperature that took the lives of many creatures and animals. The rise in
temperature at this level is the impact of human activities that have negative effect over
environmental properties and leads the change in climate. The issue of temperature and climate
is facing by all nations at global level. This increase of temperature melts the ice in Atlantic and
will become reason for high water level in future (Waters and et al., 2016).
Flood in global arena: There is significant increase in the number of natural calamities.
This clearly depicts that there is huge adverse impact of human activities over the environmental
properties. There are different nations who recently faced the situation Flood in their areas due to
heavy rain. Such unpredicted change in environmental nature and performance of actions in over
excessive manner depicts the impact of climate change that is happening due to the activities of
human at worldwide level.
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Drought: There are many countries who faced the situation of drought every year. This
was the cause of rise in temperature and reduction in the amount of rains. This impacted the lots
of people and animal’s life where they unable to live due to water unavailability. Here, also
climate change and unwanted practices of human integrates and effects the environment
negatively.
Environment policy can include policies and laws that will helps in addressing of air and
water pollution, smog, land conservation and management, drinking water quality, chemical and
oil spills and wildlife protection, for example protection of endangered species. Along with this,
current environmental policy involves actions of government at the local, state and federal level
with purpose to protect environment as well as conserve natural resources. Main aim of
environmental policy is balancing the environmental protection as well as the conservational of
natural resources with many other policy goals, for example affordable energy and economic
growth as well as employment (Environmental policy in the United States, 2015). State and
federal environmental policy cover water quality, air quality, land conservation, waste
management, etc. some policies related to the environment are regulate the actions of private
individuals, business or organisation. For instance, a factory that is obliged to release wastewater
as piece of its every day operations may necessitate to holding as well as maintaining a federal
authorize. The factory probable required to following a set of policy and rules in its consent to
obey with environmental laws. There are some current policies laws that are suitable in
protection of natural habitat. These are explained as below:
Bags bans across the US in New Mexico, Albuquerque, single-use plastic bags not more
than 2.25 mm broad have been banned, by means of thicker bags otherwise a paper substitute
being accessible instead. There are a number of exceptions, including bakeries, restaurants, and
dry cleaning services. The Oregon state has enacted related policy, by restaurants and retail
stores no longer authorized to give single-use checkout bags (The war on plastic: 5 green laws
for 2020, 2020). Along with this, under the new law, mainly premises should charge around 5
cents for paper bags as well as reusable plastic ones in excess of 4 mm thick.
Clean water act 1972 was adopted in 1972 and passed by Congress. Main purpose of this
act is to maintain and restore the chemical, biological and physical integrity on the country’s
waters. For this act, states are liable for establishing, revising and reviewing standards of water
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quality for waters in their borders. This will assist in protection of environment from water
pollution.
Clean air act 1963 is another act that will be beneficial in protection of environment from
the air. Main aim of this act is to reduce air pollution as well as their sources also. The enforces
the Clean Air Act (EPA) is a part of clean act. The law allow national air quality principles for
lead, carbon monoxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, as well as particulate matter that are govern as part
of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
The impact of Anthropocene situation on the current global environmental policy design is
negative because neither they able to control or minimise the environmental reaction nor adverse
human actions. The rapid rise in industries, plastic use, pollution and depletion of natural
resources still have the similar kind of negative impact over the environment where no
improvement is visible over the environmental natural properties and characteristics. This clearly
depicts the inability of policy design regarding minimisation of environmental harm due to the
human actions.
Still there are many measures taken at global for controlling adverse actions and promoting
the environment such as electric vehicles, use of renewable resources, ban on plastic use and
adoption of effective waste disposal systems by industries. But the level of change in not
effective according to the current nature of impact faced by the environment. It is not possible to
heal the environment with such steps (Zalasiewicz and et al., 2018). There is need to do some big
and it is possible when and each every individual contribute from their own side. Now, this is not
the task of government sand global institutions and organisations that to control the
environmental change and reduce the negative impact of human actions. In accordance to the
current situation, the support of each and every individual is the only way through which able to
safeguard the environment or able to regain the natural properties that leads the positive impact
over surroundings and all living creatures including humans that exist in this planet.
So, it is clear from the above description that there is huge need for rebuilding the new
environmental policy designs that focus over contribution of each and every individual at global
level towards the safety and promotion of environment.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the above report that there is huge negative impact of human
activities upon environment and overall planet. The current period is anticipated as
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Anthropocene where human interference changed the natural characteristics of an environment.
This leads the development of many issues such as climate change, rise in temperature, global
warming and water & air pollution. These further converted into the instances which is not only
harmful for the environment but all other living creatures that live in surroundings. The recent
event of Australian bushfire is the current example that depicts that how badly environment is
affected and reacted against to their natural properties.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Carrington, D., 2016. The Anthropocene epoch: scientists declare dawn of human-influenced
age. The Guardian. 29(08). p.2016.
Chakrabarty, D., 2018. Anthropocene time. History and Theory. 57(1). pp.5-32.
Davies, J., 2016. The birth of the Anthropocene. Univ of California Press.
Hamilton, C., 2017. Defiant earth: The fate of humans in the Anthropocene. John Wiley & Sons.
Johnson, C. N. and et al., 2017. Biodiversity losses and conservation responses in the
Anthropocene. Science. 356(6335). pp.270-275.
Keys, P. W. and et al., 2019. Anthropocene risk. Nature Sustainability. 2(8). pp.667-673.
Steffen, W. and et al., 2018. Trajectories of the Earth System in the Anthropocene. Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences. 115(33). pp.8252-8259.
Tucker, M. A. and et al., 2018. Moving in the Anthropocene: Global reductions in terrestrial
mammalian movements. Science. 359(6374). pp.466-469.
Van Loon, A. F. and et al., 2016. Drought in the Anthropocene. Nature Geoscience. 9(2). p.89.
Waters, C. N. and et al., 2016. The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct
from the Holocene. Science. 351(6269). p. aad2622.
Zalasiewicz, J. and et al., 2018. The anthropocene. Geology Today. 34(5). pp.177-181.
Online
Environmental policy in the United States. 2015. [Online]. Available through:
<https://ballotpedia.org/Environmental_policy_in_the_United_States>
The war on plastic: 5 green laws for 2020. 2020. [Online]. Available through: <
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/01/green-laws-environment-2020/>
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