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Elsevier

Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene

  • 2nd Edition - April 9, 2026
  • Latest edition
  • Editors: Michael I Goldstein, Mark J Costello, Scott Elias
  • Language: English

Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene, Second Edition, Six Volume Set, once again provides a topical-based synthesis of the unprecedented rise of humanity’s ecological footprint, the… Read more

Description

Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene, Second Edition, Six Volume Set, once again provides a topical-based synthesis of the unprecedented rise of humanity’s ecological footprint, the result of exponential population growth, coupled with run-away consumption of the planet’s finite ecosystem services. This new edition captures our current understanding of the actual effects of human population growth on the world’s resources, whether climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation, soil erosion, poor air quality, or undrinkable water.

Since publication of the first edition, the Anthropocene has been even more widely debated among scientists, humanists, conservationists, industry leaders, politicians and others over precisely when it began, what to call it, if it should be an official geological epoch, whether it can be contained in time, and how it will affect future generations. Sustainability has been a growing issue for the Earth's ecosystems in the Anthropocene. Humans are now using up the world's natural resources at an unsustainable rate. This is causing huge problems for the natural ecosystems, agricultural systems, and water supplies, especially in the Global South. Climate change research, through field observation and remote sensing, has enabled improved understanding of its effects, allowing us to project future effects and the adaptation measures they require. These are essential topics - all of which are fully covered in the encyclopedia.

Given the high degree of public and media attention on these topics, a revised edition is timely. With over 200 concise and focused chapters written by leading scholars in the field, this reference work is uniquely positioned to make this knowledge accessible to a wide, global audience.

Key features

  • Comprehensive and accessible: this title is a unique resource bringing together the many facets of research on the Anthropocene in over 200 accessible, structured chapters. Links and references allow readers to make connections and dig deeper into specific topics
  • Fully up to date: includes our most recent understanding of topics ranging from energy and sustainability to the biodiversity crisis and climate change
  • Relevant: new emphasis is given to social dimensions, looking, for example, at intrinsic and cultural biodiversity values, the responsibilities of people, industries, and governments in climate change, and environmental law
  • Global appeal: the global scale of debate surrounding the Anthropocene is reflected in the large and international pool of chapter authors

Readership

Students and researchers in a wide array of Earth and Environmental Sciences, including, but not limited to, geology, ecology and environmental ethics

Table of contents

1. Geologic History and Energy (Current and future advances in non-fossil-fuel technologies)

2. Climate Change (Predicted future changes in warming, heatwaves, precipitation patterns, droughts, and floods)

3. Biodiversity (Which organisms and habitats are suffering the greatest loss)

4. Ethical Behavior and Social Dimensions (Intrinsic and cultural biodiversity values, The responsibilities of people, industries, and governments in the field of climate change, Disability rights and environmental law, The polluter pays principle, The precautionary principle, The social values and dimensions of the global Convention on Biological Diversity 30% target)

5. Contaminants (Biological impacts of plastic waste in the world's oceans)

Product details

  • Edition: 2
  • Latest edition
  • Published: April 16, 2026
  • Language: English

About the editors

MG

Michael I Goldstein

Dr. Michael I. Goldstein has worked on many applied research and management issues across terrestrial and aquatic systems, addressing pesticides, dispersed recreation, timber harvest, minerals development, and other forms of human use and resource extraction. Mike’s PhD focused on spatial optimization of stands across adjacent federal and private lands to benefit biodiversity, Mike’s work in industry also included creating a 40-year habitat conservation plan, and Mike’s Forest Service career has focused on building efficiencies in natural resources and planning. Mike was a principal architect and editor of Elsevier’s reference module “Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences", and has served as Co-Editor-in-Chief of a trilogy of recent books, namely the Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene, the Encyclopedia of the World's Biomes, and Imperiled: The Encyclopedia of Conservation. These works tie together Mike's lifetime commitment to conservation planning, enhancing ecosystem services, and protecting biodiversity.
Affiliations and expertise
Surfbird Consulting, LLC, Juneau, Alaska, USA

MC

Mark J Costello

Mark J. Costello is an ecologist with a longtime interest in biodiversity and biogeography from local to global scales, particularly in marine and freshwater ecosystems, and applications in conservation and aquaculture. He is a professor at Nord University (Norway). Born in Ireland, he studied in Galway and Cork, followed by postdocs at the Marine Biological Association in Plymouth England, and the Scottish Office and Napier University in Scotland. He became a lecturer in Trinity College University of Dublin, Managing Director of EcoServe (an environmental consulting company in Ireland), and Executive Director of the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, Canada. He has supervised over 60 MSc and PhD students and published over 240 peer-reviewed papers. Driven by a lifetime fascination with nature, he is especially pleased to have pioneered a new field of “ocean biodiversity informatics” and, in that, played leadership roles in the development of useful world databases that list and map biodiversity across land and sea.
Affiliations and expertise
Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Bodo, Hovedbygning, Norway

SE

Scott Elias

Scott A. Elias grew up in Colorado, USA, and received both an undergraduate degree and Ph.D. in Environmental Biology from the University of Colorado. He went on to do postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Waterloo, Canada, and the University of Berne, Switzerland. Scott returned to the University of Colorado in 1982 and became a research associate of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. In 2000 he took a lectureship in Physical Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London, and became a Professor of Quaternary Science in 2007. He has served as editor-in-chief of three editions of the Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science, and co-editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia of Geology and the Cryosphere Comprehensive.
Affiliations and expertise
University of Colorado, Westminster, Colorado, USA

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