J.R. McNeill and Peter Engelke- Anthropocene since 1945

Question 1

How have McNeill and Engelke linked the emerging environmental movement to economic since the 1970s?

Answer 1

Industry –> mentions how there were little to no regulations to actually abide to.

-globalisation - economic growth spreading across the world - capitalism etc.
-More industrialisation as a result.
-also countries saying oh others are advancing so they need to advance themselves

-consumption of coal increases –> as economy increased so did coal consumption

by highlighting the rapid global economic growth and its negative consequences for the natural environment. They emphasize that the demand for raw materials and foodstuffs, driven by economic growth, led to the expansion of extractive industries, resulting in environmental degradation in both wealthy and poorer countries. The authors also discuss how economic development and industrialization in countries like Japan and Brazil contributed to environmental degradation, leading to the emergence of environmental movements in response to the negative environmental consequences of economic activities.

Furthermore, McNeill and Engelke point out that the mainstreaming of environmentalism was influenced by environmental disasters, such as oil spills and industrial accidents, which drew global attention to the risks associated with economic activities. They also highlight the role of electronic media, particularly television, in mainstreaming environmentalism by broadcasting visceral images of environmental disasters and nature programs that sparked public interest in environmental issues.

Question 2

What is ‘the Anthropocene’?
Which interpretation of this do McNeill and Engelke proposes and why?

Answer 2

A period/ new environmentalist age caused by human action and causing environmental and ecological change.

–> it often causes the environment to speed up in growth - leading to global warming etc.

-In the late 18CE
–> 1780s.

–> supposedly beginning with the spark of the fossil fuel regime.

However, some date it back to 1610, 1492, 15,000 years ago but it does depend on what ones own personal beliefs are.

McNeill and Engelke propose the interpretation that the Anthropocene represents a stage in the development of the Earth, where humans have unconsciously influenced basic Earth systems through their actions. They argue that the scale and scope of human impact on the Earth have been increasingly recognized, leading to the term “Anthropocene” being adopted by scientists and journalists in the early twenty-first century. They suggest that the Anthropocene signifies a shift in human awareness of their impact on the environment and the need for conscious management of Earth systems.

Question 3

How does the environmental
movement of the 70s compare to
today’s?

Answer 3

• climate change is a bigger issue today
• Scope and Scale: The 1970s movement was more localized, focusing on specific environmental problems within national borders, whereas today’s movement is global, addressing transboundary issues like climate change.

Question 4

How have McNeill and Engelke linked the emerging environmental movement to political developments since the 1970s?

Answer 4

-Nuclear testing
–>cold war resulting in reactionary movements. Degrading the environment, peace, human rights etc - combined with environmentalism etc.

-Chernobyl –> radiation spread over entirety of Europe –> very unexpected.

-International level intervention –> UN environment programs

Political parties –> Green party.