From 2020 to 2022, the Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) is coordinating a geological investigation to identify key anthropogenic signatures for the onset of a new human-led epoch: the Anthropocene. Through the identification and dating of the lower stratigraphic boundary—the so-called Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP)—traceable in various marine and terrestrial deposits the group will pragmatically consider a formal beginning of the Anthropocene, placing this new human-made epoch at the current end of a geologic timescale that encompasses 4.5 billion years of geological evolution.

The workshop takes place midway through the joint Anthropogenic Markers project, forming a crucial step in the joint production of six thematic online dossiers that help to historically contextualize the different Anthropocene markers under investigation by the AWG. The dossiers, to be issued as a special publication on the platform anthropocene-curriculum.org, do not attempt to systematically organize all markers according to their properties, but instead allow for different perspectives, framings, and approaches to be taken. 

The workshop starts with a full day devoted to the AWG’s discussion on the progress made in the search for suitable GSSP candidates. This first day is only open to participants of the Anthropogenic Markers project. The following two days then focus on the future contributions to the dossiers by discussing precirculated drafts. This part of the workshop is open to registered participants. However, please be aware that the drafts cannot be made accessible for guest participants.