Solidarity for the Anthropocene

Abstract

Social solidarity is essential to large-scale collective action, but the need for solidarity has received little attention from scholars of Earth Systems, sustainability and public health. Now, the need for solidarity requires recognition. We have entered a new planetary epoch – the Anthropocene – in which human-induced global changes are occurring at an unprecedented scale. There are multiple health crises facing humanity – widening inequity, climate change, biodiversity loss, diminishing resources, persistent poverty, armed conflict, large-scale migration, and others. These global challenges are so far-reaching, and call for such extensive, large-scale action, that solidarity is a sine qua non for tackling these challenges. However, the heightened need for solidarity has received little attention in the context of the Anthropocene and, in particular, how it can be created and nurtured has been overlooked. In this commentary, we explore the concept of solidarity from inter-species, intra-generational and inter-generational perspectives. We also propose strategies to enhance solidarity in the Anthropocene.