Urgency in the Anthropocene: The Influence of Climate Crisis on Policy and Governance

The narrative of the Anthropocene so far is characterized by extremes, emergencies, and exceptions—a tale of apocalypse by our own hands. The sense of ongoing crisis emboldens policy and governance responses that challenge established systems of sovereignty and law. The once unacceptable—geoengineering, authoritarianism, decoupling—are now anticipated and even demanded. We examine the interplay between our new state of ostensible urgency and the means by which this urgency is identified and addressed. We use severe drought in several contexts globally to illustrate both international and national approaches to Anthropocene governance. We argue for an Anthropocene of coexistence that embraces both human dignity and sustainability.