Analysis of Earth system dynamics in the Anthropocene requires explicitly taking into account the increasing magnitude of processes operating in human societies, their cultures, economies and technosphere and their growing feedback entanglement with those in the physical, chemical and ecological systems of the planet. However, current state-of-the-art Earth system models do not represent dynamic human societies and their feedback interactions with the biogeophysical Earth system and macroeconomic integrated assessment models typically do so only with limited scope.
Building on the foundations of Earth system and complex systems science, our theme develops frameworks, concepts, methods and simulation models focussing on the analysis of human-Earth system interactions, social dynamics and networked social-institutional structures that are relevant for future trajectories of the Earth system in the Anthropocene.
