In June 2024 we hosted the Voices of the Global South on the Anthropocene conference at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Jena, Germany. We invited 17 researchers to present their research perspectives on Anthropocene dynamics developed from, of focused on, the Global South. We were also joined virtually by over 60 online participants.
Over two days, we held four sessions covering: Historical insights on the Anthropocene: What does the Global South say; Palaeoecological observations of land use change; Indigenous knowledge and perspective in the Anthropocene crisis; and Heritage sites documentation and management. Motivated to develop conceptual frameworks for the Anthropocene and engagement in the COP agenda, subsequent discussion sessions were held on the themes of: Addressing Inequalities and Colonialism in the Anthropocene; and Identifying Potential Future Challenges of the Anthropocene.
During the conference, we invited participants to share their ‘past lessons’ and ‘must listens’, which distilled the core messages of how this research and these perspectives can be used to inform a more equitable and sustainable Anthropocene trajectory. We are really grateful to all our attendees for sharing their knowledge and insights, and look forward to continuing these important conversations.
Credit: Rebecca Lellau
If you would like to learn more, further information about the conference is available here: program.
We thank the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina for their support of this event.
