Valentí Rull

A proposal for the formalization of the ‘Anthropocene’ as a new geological epoch following the Holocene has just been submitted (31 October 2023) to the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). This proposal, prepared by the Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) after 13 years of discussions, places the beginning of the ‘Anthropocene’ in the mid-20th century, and considers that the better-suited Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) would be placed on the varved sediments of the Canadian Crawford Lake. The primary stratigraphic marker is considered to be the radioactive fallout resulting from the first nuclear weapon tests carried out in the 1940s and 1950s. These dates coincide with the Great Acceleration, characterized by an abrupt increase in the indicators of planetary anthropization. The AWG proposal is now being considered by the ICS Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy (SQS), which can endorse or reject it, or ask for modifications. If endorsed, the proposal will be submitted to the ICS Executive for approval and, if approved, it will be sent to the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) for ratification. The formalization of the AWG proposal is not guaranteed due to potential inconsistencies with the requirements of the International Stratigraphic Guide (ISG). Possible alternatives to an eventual rejection are briefly discussed.