Climate Change, Justice, and the Anthropocene

Eric Marquette

Alright, so let’s start with the basics. What exactly is climate change? I mean, we’ve all heard the term thrown around, but what does it really mean? To understand that, we need to make a distinction between weather and climate. Weather is like what you check every morning when you’re deciding whether to grab a sweater or an umbrella—it’s short-term, it’s what’s happening outside right now. Climate, on the other hand, refers to long-term patterns, trends in meteorological conditions, stretching across decades, even centuries.

Eric Marquette

Now, one key idea here is that climate isn’t supposed to change rapidly or without reason. But when we look back at history, we see periods where it has changed—like the Little Ice Age or the Medieval Warm Period. These were shifts in global temperatures that lasted hundreds of years. Fascinating, right?

Eric Marquette

But here’s the thing—starting around 1850, coinciding with the Industrial Revolution, we began to notice something different. Human activities—burning fossil fuels, deforestation, industrial processes—they all started releasing massive amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. And this thin layer of atmosphere, as Bill Nye puts it, it’s just, well, it’s kind of like the Earth’s protective blanket. When we pump CO2 and methane into it, we trap heat energy and disrupt the planet’s natural systems. Sea levels rise, temperatures spike—it’s happening faster than ever before.

Eric Marquette

And then there’s the term you might’ve heard: the Anthropocene. This is the epoch where human activity has become the dominant force shaping Earth’s systems. Think about it—extinction rates are soaring, CO2 and methane levels are higher than anything we saw in the Holocene epoch, and even our fertilizers are doubling the nitrogen and phosphorus levels in soils worldwide. I mean, we’re literally reshaping the planet.

Eric Marquette

Climate change is often called a 'wicked problem,' and, well, there’s a reason for that. It’s not just because it’s complicated or hard to solve. It’s because the challenges go beyond science or policy—they touch on economics, ethics, equity, even justice. And to tackle it, we can’t just throw a single solution at the wall and hope it sticks. We need, you know, multi-sector, comprehensive approaches.

Eric Marquette

A great example of this is the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which include 17 interconnected objectives—everything from ending poverty to ensuring, you know, access to clean water. But one goal that really stands out for today’s topic is climate action, because, let’s be honest, without a livable environment, the other goals? They kind of fall apart.

Eric Marquette

But here’s the kicker: climate change doesn’t hit everyone equally. It targets the vulnerable. Small island nations, for instance—places like the Maldives or Tuvalu—are literally sinking under rising sea levels. These communities are barely contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, but they end up paying the steepest price. And it’s not just them. Poorer regions worldwide face the harshest consequences—whether it's catastrophic floods, extreme droughts, or disappearing agricultural opportunities.

Eric Marquette

I mean, think about it—people living in these areas lack the resources to, you know, adapt or raise walls against rising waters. Meanwhile, the wealthiest countries, which have been the biggest contributors to emissions, are often best equipped to shield themselves. It’s, well, it’s profoundly unjust, isn’t it?

Eric Marquette

And even if we want to approach this issue like, say, it’s purely ecological or environmental—guess what? Solutions must address these inequities, because they’re tied so tightly together. You can’t really talk about protecting the planet without also protecting the people who live on it. And for small island communities, the clock is ticking. Every delay makes their future less certain, more precarious.

Eric Marquette

So, let’s talk about this term, the Anthropocene, this new geologic epoch some scientists believe we’ve entered. How do we even define it? Well, it’s marked by the massive, and I mean massive, human footprint on Earth’s systems. From synthetic materials like plastics that now show up in fossils to the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations in our atmosphere—it’s undeniable that we’ve left a lasting imprint. It’s like everywhere you turn, there are these signs, these markers of our impact.

Eric Marquette

But where do we go from here? That’s, honestly, one of the toughest questions out there. Achieving sustainability is no small feat—not scientifically, not ethically. Take renewable energy, for example. Solar panels, wind farms—they’re promising, no doubt about it. But have they fully replaced fossil fuels yet? No. They’re just one piece of the puzzle, and their production isn’t, let’s say, entirely green either. Mining, manufacturing—they have their own environmental costs. So, it’s, you know, complicated.

Eric Marquette

But that doesn’t mean we should throw in the towel. Quite the opposite, actually. Every small change matters, and here’s the key: it starts with us. Things like choosing electric appliances over gas stoves, or cutting down on single-use plastics. These might seem tiny compared to the scale of the problem, but imagine if millions—or billions—of us made similar changes. That ripple effect? It’s powerful.

Eric Marquette

And it’s not just about individual actions, though they’re important. We also need to push for systemic change—policies that support green energy, protect vulnerable communities, and regulate emissions. Because, yeah, individual efforts add up, but they’re not enough without the larger, structural shifts.

Eric Marquette

At the end of the day, recognizing we’re in the Anthropocene isn’t just about labeling this epoch—it’s a call to action. It’s about acknowledging how much we’ve changed the planet, and deciding what kind of legacy we want to leave behind. So, let’s do our part. Every step forward counts—every choice matters. And with that, we’ll wrap up this journey for today. Thanks for tuning in, and, well, let’s keep working together toward a more sustainable future. See you next time.