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Mobilizing the past to shape a better Anthropocene

Nature Ecology & Evolution volume 5, pages 273–284 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

As our planet emerges into a new epoch in which humans dominate the Earth system, it is imperative that societies initiate a new phase of responsible environmental stewardship. Here we argue that information from the past has a valuable role to play in enhancing the sustainability and resilience of our societies. We highlight the ways that past data can be mobilized for a variety of efforts, from supporting conservation to increasing agricultural sustainability and food security. At a practical level, solutions from the past often do not require fossil fuels, can be locally run and managed, and have been tested over the long term. Past failures reveal non-viable solutions and expose vulnerabilities. To more effectively leverage increasing knowledge about the past, we advocate greater cross-disciplinary collaboration, systematic engagement with stakeholders and policymakers, and approaches that bring together the best of the past with the cutting-edge technologies and solutions of tomorrow.

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Fig. 1: A summary of key ways that historical data can enhance the resilience of societies today and into the future.

Michelle O’Reilly, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.

Fig. 2: Application of past practices and solutions to modern-day challenges.

Michelle O’Reilly, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.

Fig. 3: Using past data to create modern baselines.
Fig. 4: Summary of key deliverables the past offers in addressing the challenges of the Anthropocene.

Michelle O’Reilly, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.

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Acknowledgements

We thank M. O’Reilly for figure production. N.B. is supported by the Max Planck Society.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany

    Nicole Boivin & Alison Crowther

  2. School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia

    Nicole Boivin & Alison Crowther

  3. Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Nicole Boivin

  4. Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA

    Nicole Boivin

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Boivin, N., Crowther, A. Mobilizing the past to shape a better Anthropocene. Nat Ecol Evol 5, 273–284 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-01361-4

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